


Stranger Things Have Happened

by yahootoldyou



Series: Stranger Things [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Angst and Humor, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M, No underage, Padawan Obi-Wan, Role Reversal, Sith Ahsoka, Sith Anakin, its still star wars after all, jedi master ahsoka, things still go wrong in this galaxy, time shifts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-29
Updated: 2017-06-25
Packaged: 2018-09-13 05:52:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 25
Words: 54,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9109477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yahootoldyou/pseuds/yahootoldyou
Summary: “Master Yoda was very clear. I have been assigned to Anakin Skywalker and he is to supervise my Jedi training,” the boy was defiant again, looking up at his new master with fire in his eyes.“You’ve got to be kidding me!You?Withme?I sure as kark don’t think so!”OR: Anakin likes his life just fine. He has a wife that he loves, a best friend in his former master, Ahsoka, and the titles of Jedi Knight and General. All in all things are great... Until Yoda drops a padawan into his care.





	1. one

**CHRISTOPHSIS, 0 HOURS POST MEETING**

“Snips!” She hears her name being called and spins to find her newly knighted former padawan sprinting for her at top speed. 

“Skyguy! What’s your deal, today?” She asks and the younger man smiles down at her before looping an arm casually around her shoulders and leading her towards the ship that contains all of their equipment. The attack on Christophsis was going as badly as one would expect but having Anakin here with her made the whole war thing seem a lot less heavy sometimes.

“Come on now, Snips, of course I have to be here to greet whatever little shit gets shafted with _you_ as their Master,” he giggles and she swats his head affectionately. Anakin shifts on his feet for a second, his grin turning sober. 

“In all seriousness, Snips, they’ll be the luckiest youngling in the temple to have you teach them. I know I was,” he smiles again, this time it’s a lot more humble and less cocky than the last. She ruffles his longer curls, wishing internally that he would get a haircut sometime soon. Not that she’d ever say anything to him about it though, she can’t handle another three hour rant about why he liked it long. Besides, he could spew all the bantha kark he wanted, Ahsoka had a _sneaking suspicion_ a certain Senator liked it long and thats why he kept it that way. 

“Thank you, Anakin, that means a lot to me. You know, you might want to think about taking a padawan on yourself. Could be good for you,” she adds, smiling her megawatt grin at him. He winces and looks away, a blush coming over his features. Ahsoka almost wants to point out that if Padmé were ever to get pregnant the practice could help, but she keeps her mouth shut. Throughout his three year affair with the senator he has never once confided in his old master about it and as much as it hurts her feelings, Ahsoka will never force him. What Anakin does in his free time as a knight isn’t _really_ any of her business anyway, it’s just that as his friend she wishes he trusted her enough to be honest. 

“Ah, Snips, you _know_ that isn’t for me! I’m always on the move, a padawan would just slow me down,” the cocky grin returns and she chuckles fondly. _Slow him down indeed. Perhaps that is just what he needs._ Suddenly, Ahsoka feels a lot better about bringing a child into the war effort, they will help Anakin even if they’re Ahsoka’s student. A little brother or sister would do the boy some real good. 

“Whatever you say, _My Old Padawan_ , it’s not like I can force you.” She takes steps towards the landing spot as she sees the shuttle with their reinforcements approaching the surface. Anakin stiffens and returns to his General mode, all serious to greet the new troops and supplies. When the shuttle lands though, only a smaller boy with bright orange hair descends the ramp. He looks up at the world around him curiously, wide blue eyes looking at his new environment. Ahsoka can tell already that she will like this one, his obvious inquiring nature a much different approach then her last padawan. Who, speaking of which, is glaring at her new student with unnecessary fire. 

“Where are the reinforcements?” He bites out at the child, as if it’s his fault that their efforts at communication with the Republic have been halted by the Seperatists. The boy arches an unamused eyebrow at Anakin. 

“I was sent by Master Yoda to collect Masters Tano and Skywalker and bring them back to the temple. He _insists_ it’s urgent.” His voice is strong and his stance defiant. Oh boy, she thinks to herself, if only he was a girl, Anakin argues with them less… Although, she has a sneaking suspicion that whatever gender this spirit was, Anakin and they would bump heads. 

“We’re in an urgent situation right here!” Anakin is still being rude and Ahsoka knocks roughly on his mental shields for it. The boy is still unimpressed and rolls his eyes slightly, annoying Anakin even more. 

“Use the ship I just arrived on to make contact with Coruscant,” the boy returns just as sharply and Ahsoka chuckles. _Smart. She likes this boy._

 

 

After they connect with Yoda and make sure reinforcements are being sent she turns to introduce herself to the boy who looks up at her with hopeful eyes. She steels herself to introduce a new child into her life, one so different then the last one she raised.

“Hello, Young One, my name is Ahsoka Tano and I’m your new master…” She trails off as the boys shoulders slump and he casts a weary look at Anakin when she tells him her name. The boy sighs heavily, the coruscanti accent audible even then and looks up at her in pure sadness.

“I’m at your service, Master Tano, but I’m _afraid_ I’ve been assigned to Master Skywalker,” the boy races over the last part and oh… Oh, this _will be fun._ The old troll had set this up perfectly.

_“What.”_ It wasn’t even a question. _Oh, my old padawan, what a surprise for you_ , she thinks giddily. 

“Master Yoda was very clear. I have been assigned to Anakin Skywalker and he is to supervise my Jedi training,” the boy was defiant again, looking up at his new master with fire in his eyes. 

“You’ve got to be kidding me! _You?_ With _me?_ I sure as kark don’t think so!” Ahsoka startles at the language.

“ _Anakin, language!_ This youngling is in your care now!” Anakin glares down at her for a couple moments, clearly thinking she had some role in him being assigned a padawan without his knowledge. He looks at her and then looks back at the boy, eyes narrowing. 

“Padawan,” the boy coughs into his arm before looking at his new master and replying, “Oh, and you’re such a prize?” Anakin snarls a bit, already deciding that no way is he keeping this youngling around him any longer than necessary. It was a mistake, there’s no way they would have given this… He remembers an old story when he sees the sheer worry in Ahsoka’s eyes. Padawans rejected by their masters get sent away to work on farms, never get to see their friends again or return to the temple. It crushes their dreams. After all, it had almost happened to her… Anakin takes a breath. He can tell his old master loves the boy already, has adopted him into their weird little Jedi clique/family. Sighing, he reigns in the anger. 

“Hello, little one, my name is Anakin Skywalker and I am your new master,” he sees the boy’s shock, feels Ahsoka’s pride along their old bond, and sees the boy want to be petulant towards him. Instead, he sees the boy swallow a clear lump in his throat and thrust out his hand. 

“My name is Obi-Wan Kenobi, and it is an absolute honor, Master Skywalker,” the young man smiles at her former padawan and she can see something shift slightly in Anakin’s eyes as he looks at the boy, at Obi-Wan. Anakin realizes he has been too harsh to the young man since he arrived. He remembers what its like to meet your master for the first time, its one of the most nerve-wracking experiences in the world and Anakin had been so _hostile…_ He would work on it. The boy was old enough to understand that surprise and stress is a bad combination on a war general, has seen lots of it before at the temple and the poor reactions. The boy was old enough and seemed calm and brave enough to handle Anakin. He hadn’t even bowed down, it had taken Anakin being kind for the boy to reveal his fear. 

“Can I call you Obi?” He asks and the boy steels again. 

“No,” the definitive response is said so curtly Anakin feels anger well inside of him again. He and Ahsoka had been working on his anger since he came to the temple and he usually had more control. _Something about this boy made him so angry though…_

“Do you have to be so disagreeable? What is it, your default setting? _Are you a droid?_ ” He taunts the boy and Ahsoka stays out of it in order to let them feel each other out. How ironic of her former padawan to say though… His best friends were droids. Despite this horrible meeting, the force sings with the rightness of the pair. It shines around them like a beacon, calling her attention and holding it like nothing else. Indeed, her grandpadawan would be amazing for Anakin, would teach him responsibility and control like nothing else would. She can see the boy has a patient soul, something about his nerves setting him alive in this argument. She chuckles.

“ _No!_ I just don’t like nicknames!” The boy sounded like a boy for the first time all morning, a petulance entering his voice that hadn’t been there before. He was hiding something, some old hurt that had never been addressed. She would ask him about it later, knowing no matter what Anakin was going to give him one. 

“ _Stiff!_ I’ll call you stiff! Because you’re so rigid!” Obi-Wan’s eyes burn so bright she swears they might be the color of his hair.

“ _Oh yeah?_ I’m stiff? Okay, _Anakin!_ ” Her former padawan gasps at the disrespectful use of his first name. It’s unheard of for a student to refer to their master by their first name while they study underneath them. _The stiff boy isn’t so stiff now, is he Anakin? He seems perfectly capable of breaking rules and tradition when it suits him._ Finally, she bursts into laughter, earning her self an angry glare from both boys. 

“And just _what_ are you laughing at, Snips? Don’t think I’m not mad at you for orchestrating all of this!” She sighs. 

“I had nothing to do with this, Anakin, but I am sincerely enjoying getting to know my new grandpadawan,” the boy flushes at the compliment while Anakin turns red with frustration. She places her hand on Anakin’s shoulder and feels him calm a bit, sagging into her hold. 

“Obi-Wan, Anakin is glad you are here, you just have to give him time. He’s slow on the uptake sometimes,” she grins and the boy smiles at her, unaware of the angry thought Anakin is hurling towards her through their bond. 

“He can tell me that himself…” Obi-Wan taunts and Ahsoka pushes gently on Anakin to make an effort. Anakin says nothing, however, thinking it best to retain the anger and not explode at the boy any further. His eyes have closed and he can’t see the spark of hurt in the boy. Ahsoka wants to take it away and so she lifts her arm, welcoming the boy under the one Anakin isn’t hogging. The three stand there, silent in the calm before the storm. 

When the bombs can be heard further out where the troops are, Anakin and Ahsoka stand to attention. They become generals, Tano and Skywalker the best team out there. _For now_ , the force sings to her and she smiles, casting a grin at the padawan. 

“Rex, come in, Rex!” Anakin shouts on his comlink, alarmed when the loyal captain doesn’t answer. He looks lost for a moment before-

“I have to head out into the field to check on the troops. The faster we get this battle over with, the faster we can head back to the temple to deal with the urgent business Yoda has for us,” she hears sarcasm and sees how Obi-Wan takes slight offense to it. That urgent business had been Obi-Wan’s first mission of importance, bringing back the generals. She understood his reaction, she just wishes Anakin took care to. 

“Well, you better take him with you then,” she responds and Anakin looks back at her in alarm at the same time Obi-Wan does. She ignores them, returning to the communication problem at hand while keeping an eye in her peripheral. Anakin scowls down at the boy who looks at him in fear, anxious of what is to come. 

“Lets go then,” she watches them board a speeder and head out. _This was going to be very interesting._


	2. two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> anakin loves his new padawan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so we're going to have some time shifts! Some of you have probably already noticed that it follows the plot of the clone wars movie at the beginning but I promise there will be significant canon divergence as we go on. You may have noticed that obikin is one of the pairings and I promise it won't happen until they are both age appropriate and have had some serious talks. enjoy chapter 2!

**FIRST MISSION, 1 WEEK POST MEETING**

“Snips, _please!_ ” Anakin pleads with her in soft whispers, trying to keep the words out the ears of his-his _padawan_. He still stumbles over the thought endlessly. _Why had Yoda thought this was a good- no._ Anakin had to stop wondering otherwise he may never sleep again. He had a padawan now. A strong-willed, intelligent, cunning padawan who Anakin had quickly discovered could possibly talk himself out of anything. 

“Anakin, I will help you as much as you need, but he is your student. The force _sings_ of the rightness between you,” she admonishes and he blushes. He feels the bliss in the force whenever he and Obi-Wan touch or work together and he knows his master has a fair point. It doesn’t help though that he and Obi-Wan butt heads more often than they manage to get along, bickering endlessly. Despite all of this though, Anakin has become… _fond_ of the young man. Obi-Wan is young, but he has wisdom far beyond his years and sees things Anakin would never. 

“Master, I don’t think I’m the right teacher for him. I’m not _good enough_ for him!” Anakin pleads again, his insecurities ringing through the air around. It had been four weeks since Obi-Wan joined them and he had been an amazing addition. The boy had a quiet fire, one the clones took to like moths. They flock to the boy and question him, tease him, making his pale cheeks flush. Anakin watches these encounters with awe, the clones never being so free with their generals. Obi-Wan also gives really good speeches and the moral since he arrived has increased tenfold. 

“The force is _never_ wrong, my young padawan. You have to _trust_ it,” she clasps his hands in hers as he casts a glance towards Obi-Wan who is perched on a crate talking to Cody. Anakin likes Obi-Wan despite their first encounter, he just finds the boy shutting down when their alone. He’s truly afraid he ruined their relationship before it even had the chance to start.

“Okay,” he says to her as she takes her leave and watches before turning and steeling himself, _“trust in the force.”_ It’s whispered and he’s focusing so hard he doesn’t feel the bright light approach him. 

“Anakin!” Obi-Wan startles him but he doesn’t yelp, he doesn’t, he swears. The imp laughs heartily anyway. Anakin smiles down at him when the boy finally stops making fun of his master.

“Cody asked me if I could play Sabacc with him and Rex later. Can I?” Anakin knows he should say no, knows that Ahsoka didn’t let him do anything like that until he was sixteen, but he can’t help but say yes when those beautiful blue eyes plead with him. 

“Sure, Obi-Wan, go ahead,” he says and is once again startled by strong arms being thrown around his midsection. 

“Thank you, Anakin!” He squeals before running off to tell Cody that he could go with him. Anakin trusts Rex and Cody to keep Obi-Wan safe no matter what, they had already done so in war zones. Obi-Wan insists on calling him Anakin now, even if he still gets angry when Anakin calls him Stiff. Anakin knows it’s disrespectful, but he can’t help but let the boy do as he pleases. Even though they had started out rough, all Anakin wants is for Obi-Wan to reach his full potential. 

 

 

“Obi-Wan! **_Obi-Wan!_** ” Anakin calls, but the boy doesn’t turn, doesn’t run into his arms. Anakin holds a braid in his hand as he chases after him, a sense of dread in his heart.

“I’m sorry, Master, but I’m not coming back,” replaying in his head over and over again. He wants to scream, to lash out and force him back to him. He chases and chases, but Obi-Wan doesn’t even spare him a _glance_ back, just walks down the stairs and out of his life forever…

_“No!”_ Anakin cries as he awakens, eyes searching the room frantically. They fall on the boy who has crouched himself over Anakin already, a worried expression on his face. 

“Anakin,” he pauses to shush his master, enveloping him in the bright light of his force signature, “are you alright?” Anakin just pulls him down and wraps his arms around him, knowing that no matter what he has to do to keep his padawan by his side, he will do it. He _needs_ him, needs him more than he ever thought would be possible. In four weeks, this boy has wiggled his way into Anakin’s heart and now Anakin knows they can never be parted. Never. Obi-Wan lays next to him on the cot and talks to him until daylight breaks across the sky, reminding Anakin that day will always come if you don’t give in to the pressure of the night. 

 

 

**FIRST MISSION, 3 MONTHS POST MEETING**

“You seem to be in a better mood,” Ahsoka comments as she takes her seat next to him on the ship. Obi-Wan is resting in the back, taking a well needed nap since he had been up with Anakin for half the night most days.

“I am,” he responds, trying to keep Ahsoka from realizing his nightmares have returned and this time they revolve around a certain young man. The desperate need he always feels has returned to him and it’s swallowing his heart. Night after night he’s been having these nightmares and it petrifies him because Obi-Wan has only been with him for a three months. Is he already destined to lose him?

“Very good. I’m assuming that you have dropped the notion that I should teach him instead?” Anakin feels his hands tighten where they are, anger soaring through him. He’s _angry_ , so angry at his master for even thinking- He stops. Two months ago, at the beginning of the mission he had asked her to consider it and now even the thought fills him with unspeakable fury. Something about that feels off to him, but he shoves it aside. As a master, the most important thing he can so is keep _his_ Stiff safe. 

“I will teach, Obi-Wan. The force says he is meant for _me_ , and who am I to disobey the force?” He doesn’t notice the sheer worry in her eyes as she looks at her former padawan, too aware of the anger that had coursed through him. _Towards her._

“Anakin, I don’t think-“ The force is on her lips to quiet her as Anakin busies his hands working on getting the ship into hyperspace. 

“Ahsoka, I don’t want to talk about this anymore,” he seethes through clenched teeth and she gets up, walking to the back where a peaceful, unconscious grandpadawan may help ease the worry she feels for her padawan. His possessiveness over the boy seems stronger than what it should be and she resolves to meditate on it, wishing her Master, Plo Koon, was there to offer her guidance on this harsh path. 

Anakin bites his lip as Ahsoka leaves, looking out in to the vast expanse of space. He knows he cares too deeply for Obi-Wan perhaps, for only knowing him a little over three months, but they bond regularly and Anakin _loves_ him. The force sings to Anakin about how Obi-Wan is his, was made for him to teach and protect. Sings to him about how _only_ Obi-Wan will understand, will _love_ him despite his actions in the future. As the ship races in hyperspace, Anakin allows himself to fall into fitful sleep, visions of an older Obi-Wan walking away from him and not returning holding his heart in a strong vice. 

 

 

**CHRISTOPHSIS, 3 HOURS POST MEETING**

_“Anakin, wait up!”_ The padawan calls, tripping over roots and other various things as the general storms ahead, more than used to uneven terrain.

“If you can’t keep up with me, little one, are you sure you should even be here?” Anakin asks and the boy straightens, his huffing breath silencing. Obi-Wan gives himself a pace that will surpass Anakin and pleads to the force that it wont embarrass him. To his joy, he speeds past the man and keeps his head held high.

“That’s great Obi-Wan, you go that way and we’ll head in the _right_ direction,” Anakin admonishes and Obi-Wan hangs his head a bit, walking by his master’s side the rest of the way. 

“Come on, Anakin, we can hide under here,” Obi-Wan calls, dragging Anakin over a random hood thing that has been left. The separatist army marches above them and Obi-Wan smiles smugly at him.

“See? _Told you_ it would work,” he taunts. Anakin scoffs in response. 

“Don’t get snippy with me, _Stiff_ , we’ve still got a long way to go,” Anakin huffs out, rolling his eyes where he assumes Obi-Wan can’t see. The younger man next to him sighs dramatically and focuses his eyes directly ahead. 

They fight well together for the most part, Obi-Wan taking risks that mirror Anakin’s own except for that he has a lot less care for his own safety. Anakin takes notice of it and tells himself to remember that for later discussion. They make their way through the droids without being spotted, both running towards the shield generators at top speed. They come to a stop when it’s just in their sight.

“Wait,” he orders and he can hear a scoff. 

_“Why?”_ Obi-Wan calls behind him as he already takes off at a run. He gets five feet before tripping exactly what Anakin had been looking for. Droids pop up, one sending Obi-Wan flying forward, letting out a string of curses as he lands on the generator platform. 

“Sorry!” He calls to Anakin who ignores him and continues slicing down droid after droid.

“Just set those _fripping_ charges before I lose it here, Obi-Wan!” Obi-Wan’s hands tremble under pressure as he puts each one where it needs to go. A droid comes up behind him and Obi-Wan feels the electricity through the force, rounding on it and slicing it in half with a single bar of green plasma. Anakin looks at the lightsaber in shock, but focuses more on when Obi-Wan force pushes the droid away, setting off trigger after trigger. Both on the field and inside of Anakin. _Are you kidding me_ , Anakin seethes to himself, lightsaber already in full action before the third one pops up. 

“Sorry!” He calls to Anakin again who turns to fix him with a harsh glare.

_“Whose side are you on anyway?”_ Is the biting response Obi-Wan receives and he slumps setting down the last charge and activating them. He pulls away and gets ready to ignite them when he hears a grunt.

“I could use some help over here!” Anakin yells out and Obi-Wan scrambles to his feet, knowing that despite their harsh words he actually wants to impress Anakin on their first mission together. 

“Anakin, _don’t move!_ ” Obi-Wan shouts back and hears Anakin fumble for a response, a question on his lips before he looks up to see a wall falling on him. He manages to follow direction, crouching down in place. Strangely enough, after the impact he looks up to find himself in perfect condition, a large hole in the rock surrounding him. Still, anger bubbles to his surface. He ignores the hopeful look on his padawan’s face and storms up to him.

“You could’ve _killed_ me!” He accuses. eyes narrow and he watches the hope die in the boy’s eyes. Watches it become sheer anger and confusion. 

_“I know what I’m doing!”_ Anakin walks away, not telling Obi-Wan to follow. He does anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay! The time shifts are going to continue and possibly be in every chapter. I'm going to use them to give insight and foreshadow, but they're also to flush out some development as well! let me know what you thought of the chapter! Thanks for reading!


	3. three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ani and obi get stuck on tatooine. angst happens.

**TATOOINE, 2 YEARS POST MEETING**

“Anakin, the ship is _broken_. I don’t know what you want me to do,” Obi-Wan pouts, putting the pieces together only to watch them fall away. When Anakin had crashed the ship he had become eerily quiet, not saying anything other than for Obi-Wan to fix the _damn ship._ The damn ship that was not cooperating with him whatsoever. His master casts wary eyes his way before turning to the console, fiddling with some controls. Obi-Wan lets out a growl in his frustration.

“ _Listen_ , Anakin, we aren’t getting anywhere if you stand there like a useless sack of bantha kark so help me!” His master turns to face him again, shock evident on his face before it settles into a familiar scowl. 

“Obi-Wan, you _don’t know_ what you’re talking about.” Anakin’s tone leaves nothing up for debate, but Obi-Wan is tired and Tatooine is so hot he feels like he’s suffocating. The air is dry and he can feel as the suns ascend in the sky, as his sweat drips more heavily. He sighs again, trying to keep it in, but he needs to rest! Needs to get off this dustball!

“Anakin, _buddy_ , I don’t know what it is about this place that’s sending you into shock, but we need to get out of here. We’re low on supplies-“ The force closes his mouth and he looks at his apprentice with cold disapproval. Obi-Wan straightens, an anger pulsing through his veins at being silenced. One closer look at Anakin, though, and he stops, taking cautious steps towards his master. Carefully, even though at sixteen he’s still much shorter than his master, he wraps his arm around the older man and leads him to a seat where he gently lowers him. Anakin is still glaring but its forward at the durasteel instead of his reckless padawan. 

“ _Anakin,_ ” Obi-Wan says as he lowers himself into his master’s lap gingerly, pressing their foreheads together, “what’s wrong?” Anakin seems startled for a second before strong arms wrap around Obi-Wan, Anakin burying his face into Obi-Wan’s neck. Something Obi-Wan had learned was that Anakin was reliant on physical touch to remind him that people care and while Obi-Wan doesn’t love it, he knows Anakin needs it. 

“I-I did something _horrible_ ,” Anakin sobs and Obi-Wan involuntarily stiffens at the admission of guilt. 

“Wh-what did you do?” Obi-Wan tries to sound comforting, tries to sound confident, but he’s been Anakin Skywalker’s padawan for two years and he knows that the man walks a close distance to darkness. He runs his hand up and down Anakin’s back, hoping to sooth him enough that he can say what he needs to. Anakin takes a deep breath and settles before getting a resigned look in his eyes. Obi-Wan is struck with the knowledge that Anakin is about to tell him something he never wanted anyone else to know. 

“I’m from Tatooine,” _okay what?_ Obi-Wan gapes at Anakin’s back, the man’s head still tucked in the crook of Obi-Wan’s neck. 

“You’re my padawan and I-I _love_ you, Obi-Wan. So I _have_ to be honest, because Mom always said when you love someone you’re honest with them…” The man is shaking again and Obi-Wan is shocked that Anakin remembers his parents, not having any recollection of his own parents since he was brought to the temple as an infant. When Anakin stops shaking so much, it is clear he wishes to continue. 

“I was nine when the Jedi came for me, nine when they freed me from a slaver here on Tatooine and _left_ my mother behind. Ahsoka’s Master, Plo Koon, was a nice man. He believed me to be the chosen one of prophecy and brought me to Coruscant to be trained. He died after, leaving me in the hands of his newly knighted ex-padawan, Ahsoka Tano, who ended up being the best thing that ever happened to me,” he pauses, a small smile coming over him before continuing, “She trained me and helped me earn enough side money that I could go and free my mother, but when I got there, the sand people had already beaten her so badly-“ He cuts himself off and Obi-Wan is starting to see why Tatooine hurts Anakin so much. Anakin shrinks, makes it feel like Obi-Wan is the Master who is comforting his inconsolable padawan off a ledge. 

“She _died_ in my arms, Obi,” he allows the annoying nickname, “I was so _angry…_ ” Anakin’s grips tightens, a far off look coming to center in his eyes. Obi-Wan feels a need to shake his master, to awaken him from where he’s disappeared within his own head, but he can tell that this is something Anakin has never said before, needs to admit before it swallows him in the sand of Tatooine. Obi-Wan signals Artoo to continue fixing the ship and then soothes Anakin’s back again. 

_“I killed them.”_ Anakin lifts his head, a hard angry look in his eyes as he stares his padawan down. Obi-Wan chokes on his spit, eyes darting around the room before settling on Anakin’s. The blue is steel compared to the liquid pools they usually are. Anakin is daring Obi-Wan to leave, to freak out, to call Anakin unworthy and say he’ll report him to the council. Obi-Wan does nothing instead, just stares Anakin down in return, trying to settle the uneasiness in his gut telling him he is in the presence of a monster, that he needs _to run._ Obi-Wan Kenobi knows Anakin Skywalker, he knows he doesn’t need to be afraid. 

“They were like animals, so I _slaughtered_ them like animals!” Obi-Wan flinches a bit, wincing as Anakin lashes out at the wall, punching a dent into it with his mechanical hand. 

“She’s **_dead_** , Obi-Wan! The only woman who ever truly believed in me is gone and they **_took_** her from me! I only got to see and speak to her briefly before she died,” tears are rolling now and Obi-Wan rushes for his Master, wraps his arms around him and holds him tight, surprising Anakin. Obi-Wan is always so serious, it is odd for him to break the rules and guidelines the Jedi set and yet here he is, doing so for Anakin. 

“Shh… Anakin, it’s alright, I’m right here. I’m _staying_ right here,” Obi-Wan says and Anakin finally relaxes into his arms more, sagging and nearly crying with relief. Obi-Wan knows his training says he should turn Anakin in, should get him away from sentient beings, but instead of anything else, Obi-Wan stays and soothes him again, selfishly unable to part with the man. 

“Oh, Obi-Wan…” Anakin buries his face into Obi-Wan’s shoulder and inhales the clean scent of the boy who means so much to him. Obi-Wan lets him cry before he takes the man’s larger hand and smoothes his thumbs over the black leather. 

“Anakin, please show me where you buried your mom,” Obi-Wan pleads, knowing Anakin needs closure with the events that had happened years ago, long before Obi-Wan was even his padawan. He and Anakin had bonded so much over the past two years, quickly becoming one of, if not the best of all the teams in the Order. Better than Anakin and Ahsoka even. If anyone could help Anakin, it would be Obi-Wan, the force _sang_ of its truth. 

“Okay.” Anakin takes Obi-Wan’s hand and leads him out into the desert, pausing once to give a glare towards the grains of sand that mold around their feet before leading the sixteen year old to the Lar’s homestead. Anakin tells him stories of his time on Tatooine as a child, Obi-Wan lighting up as he hears about podracing and how Anakin was the only human ever to win one. 

Eventually, Anakin and Obi-Wan reach the grave and Obi-Wan lets Anakin walk forwards first, lets him sit for a long time and just talk to his mother, shedding tears on sand that has long since shifted from the original grains that covered Anakin’s mother’s remains. After what may have been two hours, Anakin turns and beckons Obi-Wan over with his head, patting the ground beside him for Obi-Wan to sit. They stay until a million stars litter the sky above, the twin suns long since set.

“Come on, Anakin, its time to go back to the ship,” Obi-Wan says and Anakin looks up, a small smile on his face as he rises and wraps an arm around the boy’s shoulder. They walk across the desert, a weight lifted from their shoulders. 

When they return to the ship, Artoo has completed the repairs and the ship hums with life, relieving Obi-Wan a great deal. He had spent a long day on Tatooine, and as far as he was concerned he _never_ needed to come back. 

 

 

 

**CHRISTOPHSIS, 5 HOURS POST MEETING**

The battle is over, republic troops retreating from the planet as the blockade has been defeated. Clone troopers fill ships as they depart, supplies are rounded up and put into boxes before being loaded into ships. Rex and Cody take a long look back at their General and the boy that had been dragged into war. The boy has a cut that is running along his cheek, one that will heal, but it hits Cody in his heart as he views the exchange. General Skywalker had been so _harsh_ , so hard on the boy who should never have been allowed a war zone, never have been allowed to wield lightsabers and destroy his own innocence through battle. Now though, after the ash had settled into the ground of Christophsis, Cody sees a softness in the stature of General Skywalker. His blue eyes have lost their General steel and now reflect the youth that is inside of him. 

Cody, a boy bred for war, knows that Obi-Wan is older than himself, and yet he feels pity for the ginger. A spark in his chest is lit as he looks upon the boy, knowing somehow that they are connected, that they will be important to each other. Cody shakes his head, he is a _soldier_ and good soldiers always follow orders. He looks and sees General Tano conversing with Yoda on a com and makes his way towards the woman who provides him direction and cause, away from the small boy with red hair and bright blue eyes. 

 

 

Anakin takes a seat next to the boy who had been so very brave and reckless, who had dove into war with a zeal Anakin had only seen in himself. The boy had tried to keep everyone alive, had tried to save Anakin even though they hadn’t gotten along well so far. He smiles down at the boy for a brief moment, allowing his general side to shed away and leave only the spirit of Anakin Skywalker, young Jedi Knight in his place. 

“You’re _reckless_ , Young One, you never would have made it as Ahsoka’s padawan,” he says, smiling softly even as he watches the boy deflate under the words. Anakin’s hand finds the boy’s shoulder and when bright blue eyes come up to meet his own, he allows the soft smile and eyes to shift into a force nudge that will send affection to the-no. To **_his_** padawan. 

“But you might make it as mine,” his smile grows and he allows his head to tip into a nod to Obi-Wan who stares in surprise with big glassy blue eyes. The boy halts a second before launching at his master, wrapping thin but strong arms around his midsection. 

“Thank you, thank you, thank you, _thank you…_ ” The boy trails on and on repeating it in his euphoria and Anakin knows they have to have a conversation about the boy’s self worth if this is going to work out. He wraps his arm around the shoulder he had grasped prior and lifts him to his feet, moving back towards where they can take off to Coruscant. He has a padawan who needs to be moved into his quarters after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahhh more time shifts! thank you for reading, i hope you enjoyed chapter three!


	4. four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> padawan adventures

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for taking so long to update! My laptop was broken and had to be sent out for repairs. I appreciate your patience and I hope you all enjoy this next chapter!

**CORUSCANT, 1 YEAR AND 6 STANDARD MONTHS POST MEETING**

 

Anakin stands at the edge of the room, looking at his small, scruffy headed padawan and his old Master as they go through the standard steps of meditation. It has been a year and a half since Anakin took Obi-Wan as an apprentice, that amount of time since they had become a team. Anakin should have taught him meditation long ago and so Ahsoka stepping in finally does not surprise him. Meditation: the first lesson a young, newly chosen padawan should be taught to instill strong, unwavering Jedi strength and loyalty. The one lesson Anakin _hated_ with a strong passion. 

The two sit together, pure sunlight radiating from their forms as he huddles in the shadows of the room. He longs for the sunlight to reach out and encompass him even as he continuously shies away from it when he gets the opportunity. Obi-Wan has a small smile on his face as Ahsoka tells him to clear his mind, fondness for his grandmaster flowing through their slight bond and the one he has with Anakin. In this moment, Anakin has never seen anything so innocently beautiful, so purely kind and untouched by corruption. His heart swells with a light he hasn’t felt since he was a child, affection taking over his features and flooding him with warmth. He may have tried to shy away from the sunlight, but they weren’t willing to let him slip from their fingers into the dark. Just the thought of that brought him enough sense to emerge from the shadows and leave them to their time alone, basking in the glow he continuously feels from anywhere in the temple. 

“Am I doing it right?” Obi-Wan asks, the smallest of smiles gracing his features as Ahsoka looks through him with closed eyes. 

“Young One, we will be here all day unless you clear your mind,” Ahsoka admonishes. The Room of a Thousand Fountains is alive with natural noises and she knows that this should be helping Obi-Wan, a boy who is being raised in the midst of a war, but instead it is leaving him thoroughly distracted. The noise had helped Anakin as a youngling too, him having been used to the market in Mos Espa. Ahsoka is finding out more and more that the things that had worked for Anakin wouldn’t work for Obi-Wan, the peculiar little monster he is. 

“Apologies, Master Ahsoka, I just can’t seem to focus today,” Obi-Wan replies and she finally opens her physical eyes to find the young boy still actively looking around the room, seemingly memorizing the nooks and crannies. The fountains pulse actively and so does Obi-Wan’s curiosity. Finally, with a long sigh, Ahsoka stands and beckons the young one to follow her. He does, taking one last inquisitive look around the room before Ahsoka leads them through the long corridors to her chambers. Obi-Wan might have to try complete silence to be able to properly meditate. She releases the frustration she feels towards Anakin for neglecting to teach him meditation at the beginning of his training in the force, knowing that Obi-Wan must be suffering under the weight of war. 

She sits him down and reminds him of the necessary steps needed to complete the meditation form, and lights the incense in the corner, hoping just silence and a bit of aroma will urge the boy into the healing meditation his mental state so desperately needs.

“Obi-Wan, I want you to try to meditate in here with no distractions. I’m leaving you with my comlink and I am going to find Anakin. If you need anything, or cannot manage on your own just give him a ring and I’ll come straight back, okay?” The young redhead just gives her an unsure smile and a nod, eyes slipping shut as he releases emotions into the force, something he’s almost naturally good at. She slips out the door to go find her wayward former apprentice, knowing almost instinctively to go to the hangar bay. A smile crosses her features as she finally feels Obi-Wan slip into his first meditation, knowing that he will receive something for his braid for doing so. Ah, the _wonders_ of a padawan, she thinks as she follows her link to Anakin through the halls, not focusing on anything too heavily. The peace of the padawan is the peace of the master after all, or, she guesses, the grandpadawan to the grandmaster. 

 

 

When Anakin comes across Obi-Wan later in the day, he’s a sunlit meadow in the force. The boy grins up at him with such joy that Anakin resolves to actually meditate with his padawan sometime soon. It never has this reaction from him, this healed sense of content and happiness, but Anakin is happy Obi-Wan is finding his own ways to heal from the war. Anakin finds himself drawn to the temple more and more, not wanting to leave Obi-Wan to fend for himself while he runs off to see his wife in secret. For the first time perhaps ever, he feels guilt for hiding such a large part of himself from someone. The thought of Padmé used to fill him with a need to be reassured of her safety, of her love, but these days he leisures around the temple with the youngling he was gifted, taking time to enjoy the livelihood of the Jedi. 

They are in the training area, lightsabers in hand. Obi-Wan’s first lightsaber had been green, the one he has constructed as a youngling before being taken as a padawan, but during the war it had been destroyed, breaking the young man’s heart. Anakin knew the feeling, having lost many lightsabers in his own time and he had aided Obi-Wan in creating a new one. The feeling of pride and _honor_ when Obi-Wan based his off Anakin’s is something he never expected to feel, but it had pulsed through him as if it were his own heartbeat. Anakin smiles as he leads Obi-Wan through katas, at peace with his life for the first time since he had married Padmé. 

 

 

 **NABOO, 4 YEARS POST MEETING**

 

Obi-Wan trails behind the senator, wrapped in his own thoughts. Ever since Ahsoka left the order, he has had a hard time reaching Anakin on the level they used to share. The man had isolated his thoughts and self slightly, keeping contact with the padawan when it was absolutely necessary. Despite the seemingly almost blatant repudiation, Obi-Wan does not doubt the love Anakin has for him. Anakin is shocked, upset, shook to his very core, and he absolutely does not want Obi-Wan to see. 

Senator Amidala of Naboo is _beautiful_ , something Obi-Wan noticed the moment they met. The force shines around her in a golden halo, her righteousness and need for peace inspiring those around her. She is also, as Obi-Wan quickly picked up on at the beginning of his apprenticeship, in a relationship with his master. Anakin thinks he’s so good at being stealthy and keeping it a secret, but he is _literally_ the worst liar Obi-Wan has ever met. He almost wants to inform his master that maybe the reason Mace Windu hates him so much is because he practically taste the bantha kark on his tongue as Anakin continues to spew it. After all, Mace _adores_ Obi-Wan and the only thing he’s done to earn it is sass his master and be overly honest. The thought amuses him enough that he lets out a short chuckle, bringing the senator’s attention to him. 

She’s _very_ fond of him, he can tell, the way she gazes at him affectionately, the way a teacher would a prized student, or he imagines; a mother to her child tells him so. It doesn’t discomfort him to be seen that way by the senator, even if he views her more as the big sister type than a mom. He trusts her in any case, her force signature and bond to his master making him incapable of not doing so. If he ever needed help, Padmé would provide it no questions asked. Even, he can tell with an unsettling feeling, if it included deceiving Anakin. He’s eighteen and is currently watching over the senator after yet another assassination attempt, his master giving him the desperate command to do so as he tracked down the culprit. 

“Obi, are you alright? You seem distracted,” Padmé is casting another one of her affectionate looks towards him and he smiles back, wishing he had a beard the way his master did like always. In all honesty, both Padmé and himself despised it, but Anakin was insistent about growing it out. Obi-Wan, on the other hand, was sure he’d look quite nice with one. 

“Sorry, Senator, I get caught up in my own thoughts sometimes,” he apologizes formally, ignoring the small frown she gives him for using her title. Obi-Wan knows he can call her Padmé, that it would be more appropriate for their relationship, but as a Jedi he must put up a front. He cannot be like his master, cannot let attachment stray him too far. Cannot let something or someone hurt him the way Ahsoka had when she left. 

“It’s _okay_ , Obi-Wan, but you know I’d prefer if you called me Padmé,” she says with a reassuring grin which Obi-Wan returns in response with a nod. They continue on their walk around the lake, taking in the trees and wildlife. They continue in comfortable silence, both worrying for Anakin, but knowing they are in safe and good company with the other. 

 

 

When they return it is lunch time and Obi-Wan leaves Padmé with Threepio so he can go meditate briefly. He needs it more and more to keep himself calm these days. The meditation comes over him like he is embracing an old friend, wrapping him in comfort he hasn’t felt anywhere else since Ahsoka decided the Jedi weren’t fitting her tastes anymore. The bitterness is _unfair_ , he is too aware of why Ahsoka left, but he can’t help it. She left him alone to deal with Anakin and his moodiness, and the woman he loves, and the war, and all of it! Ahsoka was like Obi-Wan’s breath of fresh air when drowning for so long, logic and reason when he was choking on his emotions. He takes the bitterness and anger with shaking fragile hands and releases them into the force feeling them disperse into the universe. He settles in deeper, knowing he should get as much rest as possible through this before he goes back to defending Padmé from whatever he’s sure Anakin hunts viciously. 

 

 

The day seems new when he emerges from it, the force sparkling with familiarity and a sense of home. He walks back to where he can feel Padmé roaming around, hoping she won’t mind some more company. The house is silent, Threepio not incessantly chatting and he can hear the lake outside, little currents brushing against the shore. Obi-Wan has been sent on missions without Anakin before, but this is more like a retreat with a friend. For a Jedi, he can’t imagine things get much more peaceful than this. He stops for a second to look out at the water and remember Ahsoka trying to teach him in the Room of a Thousand Fountains and getting upset at his distraction all those years ago. He smiles when he feels a hand placed on his shoulder and turns toward Padmé, walking off to join her in watching the holonet for a little while. He’s ready for any attackers and he is definitely taking this mission seriously, but for now, for just this moment, he pretends they’re just friends who don’t have the weight of the galaxy on them. It’s nice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To clear up any possible confusion, Obi-Wan was 14 and just turned so at the beginning of his apprenticeship with Anakin. Ahsoka did leave the order and I will go into further detail about it in later chapters. Don't worry though, the time shifts are still occurring so she will definitely still be a large part of the story. Just to be clear though Ahsoka leaves right around Obi-Wan's 18th birthday so he's still a salty senior padawan. Anyway, i hope you all liked it! let me know what you thought of it in the comments!


	5. five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> obi meets satine and spends more quality time with anakin and padme

**CORUSCANT 2 YEARS POST MEETING**

 

Anakin watches Obi-Wan interact with his fellow padawans with great joy, Barriss standing next to him. The woman is a very famous, well respected Jedi Master, but he finds her stiff and unbearable. She watches her own padawan, a young mirialan named Luminara, interact with a slight frown, making note of behaviors that are most unbecoming.

“Can you just let them have a _moment_ without judgement, Knight Offee?” Anakin asks and sees the woman’s frown deepen. 

“I am training her to be a Jedi, Knight Skywalker. I’m not trying to be her _friend_ ,” the woman all but sneers his way and it’s _definitely_ an insult to him. He feels anger bubble in his chest and wants to reach out and teach her a lesson-he stops. The path his thoughts had been on was most unbecoming. 

“The implication you’ve just made-“ He starts, but she holds up a finger to cut him off, only igniting his anger more. 

“I’m just saying, Skywalker, that _unlike you_ , when the time comes, I’m ready to do what has to be done and let my student go,” she pauses, making meaningful eye contact with him before continuing, “can you say the same?” Anakin watches her long black robes swish before she takes her leave, walking away from him as if the conversation had never happened. Anakin feels fear down his heart in ice water, the angry fire becoming a cold dread. He looks back to Obi-Wan once and walks back into another part of the temple. Knight Offee is uncaring, she is _cold_ , she doesn’t understand what he and Obi-Wan have. He will keep Obi-Wan safe, safe from death, safe from even Anakin’s own nightmares. He won’t ever have to let Obi-Wan go, _he won’t ever let that happen_ , let things get to that point. Knight Offee is wrong and that is all that matters to Anakin. 

 

 

Later, once Anakin has spent enough time in the hangar bay to get rid of the unnecessary anger and frustration of his earlier conversation, he makes his way back towards his and Obi-Wan’s shared quarters. He had made this for Obi-Wan a long time ago, only now working up enough courage to actually give his apprentice something that so clearly announced his attachment to him. The hope is for Obi-Wan to love it, having heard of Anakin’s past on Tatooine, but there is always a chance Obi-Wan could repudiate him for not being the teacher, the Jedi, that he should be. 

He finds the redhead meditating in their combined quarters, his breaths deep and his eyes closed. Anakin settles into the couch, laying down and snuggling into the pillow. Once Obi-Wan had discovered a way for meditation to work for him he had begun doing it constantly, making it his main way of self-healing. Anakin found it slightly annoying, Obi-Wan would disappear into his trances for so long, drastically reducing the amount of time they spent together. The unifying force sings for the boy the way the living force sings for Anakin, making them a well matched pairing. 

Anakin settles further into the couch, resolving to wait for his apprentice to come out of his temporary hibernation. Before long, he slips off into sleep, the sunlight of the force that is his apprentice lulling him into a rest he has needed for _far_ too long. 

 

 

“Anakin, _wake up_ ,” Obi-Wan whispers loudly, shaking his master slightly. Slowly, sky blue eyes open up to meet his own grey ones and he smiles down at them.

 _“Obi-Wan…?”_ Anakin asks groggily, looking up at his apprentice still in the haze of sleep.

“Nice to see you awake, Sleepyhead,” he teases, easing out of Anakin’s space to sit on the opposite end of the couch. Anakin sits up more, the snippet weighing heavily in his pocket. The only one he had ever gifted one to before is Padmé, his beloved wife, and he held the symbolism of it very close to his heart. They are the most important people to him, to the life that he lives, he isn’t sure what would become of him if they were to disappear. Shaking of sleep and anxiety, Anakin pulls the japor snippet out of his pocket and wraps the chain around his fingers. 

“Obi, please don’t say anything until I finish talking,” Anakin starts, waiting for the understanding nod from the boy before continuing, “As you may know, I am very fond of Senator Amidala.” Obi-Wan snorts, earning a playful glare from Anakin and a brief pause where he shoves the boy a little. 

“As I was saying, _Imp_ , when her and I first met I gave her a good luck charm to remind her of me, to remind the queen of a planet of her young slave friend from Tatooine who thought she looked like an angel. It was important to me, a symbol of my affection and now, I wish to bestow a similar gift to you,” he holds it out, gently untangling the chain with swift, graceful movements of his slim fingers, drooping it until there is only the end of the chain on the very tip of his finger. Obi-Wan, a strange far off look in his eyes, holds his palm out and Anakin drops it in, a smile igniting both his soul and his face. 

_“Thank you…”_ Obi-Wan whispers, pulling his hand in towards his chest and clenching it tightly in his fist. There is a small, sincere grin there and Anakin feels a sharp tug on his heartstrings. 

“It has different carvings, but the meaning is the same. It is a symbol of good luck on Tatooine, but it is also symbolic to me of my devotion to you as my student and more importantly, as a brother and a friend,” Anakin finishes, ignoring the tears in his eyes. He sees a lone one drop from Obi-Wan’s eyes and reaches over, wiping it away. Obi-Wan smiles at him gratefully and leans over, putting his head on Anakin’s shoulder. He can feel the happiness in their bond and smiles genuinely, a smile so happy and pure he’s sure he hasn’t smiled like it since before the war started. 

Slowly, he slides off the couch and sits on the floor, beckoning Obi-Wan to sit facing him. At some point the boy has placed the snippet around his neck and Anakin allows himself another smile.

“Let’s meditate, Obi,” he offers and he can see the joyous surprise on his apprentice’s face. Slowly, Obi-Wan reaches across and intertwines their fingers together, The two halves of the force converge in the middle, allowing Obi-Wan and Anakin to drift off into a blissfully peaceful meditation, one he’s sure he couldn’t achieve without the boy in front of him. 

 

 

**CORUSCANT, 6 MONTHS POST MEETING**

 

“Listen, Obi-Wan, the Separatists are _evil_ and the Republic are the good guys in the war, okay?” Both Padmé and Obi-Wan turn to look at him, a single eyebrow raised on both faces. Anakin looks at them incredulously. He’s right, of course he’s right, he’s fighting in the fripping war. If anyone were to know, it would be him. And Obi-Wan, he guesses, but for some reason he’s giving Anakin his famous “you’re being stupid” stare. 

“Come on, Obi-Wan, let’s go,” Anakin startles at his wife’s words and looks to where she’s turning her back on him to lead his padawan away.

“Where do you think you’re going?” He asks again and Padmé sends him a harsh glare over her shoulder. 

“You wanted me to teach Obi-Wan about politics and so I’m going to,” she takes Obi-Wan’s elbow and leads him away from Anakin, effectively giving him _no say_ in the matter. 

_“Hey!”_ He calls after them, but Padmé pays him no mind, striding forward with no intention of stopping. Obi-Wan turns and gives him a shrug before following his wife. Anakin watches two of the people he loves most walk away from him and wonders exactly what he said to lead them both to leaving him behind for this. He sighs, making his way back to the temple to catch up with Ahsoka. 

 

 

As Padmé suspected he might be, the boy is a _natural_ , taking to negotiation and politics with ease. When they had first met, she had sensed the patience and cunning intelligence needed for her field of work. They made a good team and she resolved to ask for him on diplomatic missions instead of her rowdy husband. Anakin was Anakin, and she _loved_ him, but Obi-Wan could learn from this, could participate. He had been shadowing her in the senate, but now she was headed for Mandalore to discuss peace negotiations with Duke Korkie. Korkie and herself were friends from her early days in the senate and she is sure they can make peace and aid Mandalore from the Death Watch if only he would drop neutrality.

As their ship descended towards the ground of Mandalore, she squeezes Obi-Wan’s shoulder, not wanting him to be too overwhelmed by politics outside of the senate chamber, where they really counted. The Duke waits for them where they land, his spunky niece along for the ride. The young woman looks at Obi-Wan with a fire he doesn’t recognize, one full of angry righteousness and heat, one of _passion_. He looks at the girl inquisitively, but she just narrows her eyes at his curiosity. Mandalorians have been raised against the Jedi, he knew this, so he wondered why Duke Korkie and Master Ahsoka were apparently very close friends.

“Welcome Senator Amidala and Padawan Kenobi, we are honored to have your presence and assistance in this slight uprising. They both make pleasant talk as they walk, Obi-Wan’s gaze always falling to the niece, Satine, who walks three steps behind him the entire time. _How peculiar._

 

 

Days pass on Mandalore and Obi-Wan actively participates in many discussions, taking mental notes of strategies used and applying the ones he sees are most effective. Satine stands near him always, but never close enough for him to satisfy the never ending curiosity that burns for the young woman. 

One morning, his last one on planet, he finds himself up before dawn and is looking at the pink sky as the sun rises, thinking about everything and nothing all at once. Satine comes to sit down next to him slowly, reaching out to wind their fingers together. It is something he has done with Anakin lots of times, but this sends his heart pulsing in his chest, brings a slight flush to his cheeks.

_“Thank you,”_ the young woman says point blank, looking into Obi-Wan’s eyes to show him she is being sincere. 

“As a Jedi, this is my job, no thanks necessary,” she scoffs a tad before bringing her other hand up to his cheek and stroking it slightly before soft lips press against his. He gasps a bit in surprise but her kiss is chaste, coming away even as her hand remains. 

“Thank you, _oh Great Negotiator_ , for doing your best to help my people,” she finally smiles at him after weeks of being her presence and he feels his heart skip a beat almost impossibly. He smiles radiantly in response and pulls her closer, hands still twisted together in the sloppy hold of young love. 

“I am merely what my teachers have taught me,” he says with a grin and feels the girl basically roll her eyes through the force. _Rude_ , yet endearing. 

“Modest. Cute,” she compliments before laughing and shifting their position so she can lay with her head in his lap while they hold hands. 

“So, _Negotiator_ , what do you want to do during your last day on planet?” Satine grins up at him and just like that, not only has he gained yet another nickname, but he knows he found someone else who will greatly effect his life. Suddenly, his departure from Mandalore is all the more depressing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> two updates in less than a week? who knew i could do it? hope you enjoy!


	6. six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> obi-wan turns 17 and anakin makes more bad decisions

**CORUSCANT, 3 YEARS POST MEETING**

 

Obi-Wan sits in his quarters, waiting patiently for the surprise Anakin promised him for his seventeenth lifeday. Anakin had been so excited that morning, opening the blinds and presenting Obi-Wan with a poor looking attempt at breakfast in bed. The eggs had been burnt as had the toast, slathered in what Obi-Wan hoped was jelly, but it was a touching gesture. According to Anakin, his mother had done the tradition back on Tatooine and Master Ahsoka had continued it for him when he arrived at the temple, trying to make his adjustment as smooth as possible. Obi-Wan had been brought into it back on his fifteenth, the first lifeday he had shared with Anakin in their quarters. On Anakin’s lifeday Ahsoka had beaten him to it, claiming it was a _“Master thing”_ and he could make his future padawan breakfast on their lifeday.

Obi-Wan appreciates everything Anakin does for him, knowing that Anakin is his best friend, his partner, his teacher, perhaps the other half of Obi-Wan’s very _soul._ The force that thrums between them is so loud that it deafens him sometimes, making him succumb to its will. The force wants one thing always, for him to be glued to Anakin’s side. In any version of any world, Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi will always be connected, will always be attached without hope of severing. He wonders, late at night, why it is so insistent upon it, what cosmic plan is waiting for him where he cannot see it. What the force has planned for him and Anakin, but in the end he knows it matters not. 

In any version of any world, Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi will _always_ love each other, of that he is absolutely certain and that is all that matters.

“Obi-Wan, come on, Ahsoka and I have planned the _best lifeday surprise ever!_ ” He hears Anakin’s voice as the door slams open. 

“Coming!” Obi-Wan stands and leaves his room to find his master thrusting his robe in his face with an excited grin. Obi-Wan returns it and follows him into the corridors where Ahsoka is standing waiting. She wraps an arm around his shoulders and ruffles his hair with her other hand. 

“Happy lifeday, kiddo,” she smiles and he nuzzles into her side a bit more, forever grateful for her in his life. 

 

The lights of Coruscant are Obi-Wan’s favorite, the thing he looks for first when they return from long missions away from home. Now, he sits in the back of a speeder behind Anakin, who’s driving like an idiot, and Ahsoka, who’s laughing. Obi-Wan loves the lights, loves to see them and be one with them in the night atmosphere, but he hates how they fly by him when Anakin drives. His stomach gives a slight lurch and he nearly is sick in the back, holding on to his seat with stiff fingers that bite into the flesh of the seat. 

“Anakin, _slow down!_ ” He stresses, sweat beading on his forehead. Anakin doesn’t respond, just laughs in the front seat and allows the wind to whip through his hair freely. 

Eventually, they pull up to a stop outside a dingy looking diner, Obi-Wan’s eyes alight with curiosity. What an odd surprise for a lifeday. Anakin and Ahsoka look at him expectantly, but Obi-Wan just admires the antiquated architecture. The chrome decoration is loud and obnoxious, but has a sense of home that is unfamiliar to Obi-Wan. Anakin places a hand on his shoulder and brings Obi-Wan out of his thoughts. He smiles up at his master and moves out of the speeder, looking down at the finger shaped indents left in the soft cushion. Anakin does also and laughs at Obi-Wan’s expense, ruffling his ginger locks. 

Ahsoka holds the door open for them, Anakin leading the way in. A large Besalisk stands behind the counter and smiles at Anakin, opening his arms. 

“Anakin Skywalker, what do ya know?” The besalisk sees Ahsoka and turns to her, finally emerging from behind the counter to give her a hug. Ahsoka laughs, greeting him in kind and Obi-Wan watches amusedly. 

“Dex, I haven’t seen you in forever!” Ahsoka giggles and lets him lead her to a booth, beckoning Anakin and Obi-Wan along with them. They follow, Obi-Wan looking around in sincere wonder. The server droid whirls past, gears making audible groans. Obi-Wan’s fingers itch to fix it up and he can tell Anakin feels the same with one look. They share a knowing smile before Dex’s attention turns to him finally.

“And who is this dashing young man?” Obi-Wan turns pink at the praise and Anakin smiles a wide grin. Ahsoka punches her former padawan in the arm before answering.

“This is Anakin’s padawan, Obi-Wan,” Ahsoka says, smiling with pride and fondness. The large man reaches a hand out to him, shaking his hand formally.

“Pleasure to meet you, Obi-Wan,” Dex drawls and Obi-Wan flashes him a prize smile, megawatt if it were to be given the perfect adjective. 

“The pleasure is all mine, Mr. Dex.” Anakin and Obi-Wan squeeze into one side of the booth while Ahsoka sits on the other. She moves to make room for Dex, but he waves her away, knowing he needs to be back in the kitchen soon.

“What’s the occasion to bring Jedi Master Ahsoka Tano into my diner?” She giggles again, a sound Obi-Wan has almost never heard. It’s endearing to see Ahsoka seem almost young again, her relationship with the besalisk clearly going far enough back that she eases around him, becomes a version of herself that is almost free and unhindered. Obi-Wan likes this Ahsoka, finds her exciting and enigmatic. 

“It’s Obi-Wan’s seventeenth lifeday today. Our boy is growing up and so I had to introduce him to the best jawa juice and chocolate cake around,” she laughs out, lightly placing her hand on Dex’s arm. The man howls, a deep gut laughter erupting from him that almost causes Obi-Wan to flinch. Anakin has a giant grin on his face the entire time, enjoying Obi-Wan’s first trip to Dex’s. He remembers when Ahsoka would bring him here on his lifeday, something Anakin hasn’t been able to do with Obi-Wan yet due to their increased time off planet because of the war. It’s nice, the feeling of tradition. _The feeling of family._

“Coming right up then! Anything for my favorite Jedi trio in the galaxy!” The besalisk moves away from the table, back towards the kitchen. The server droid is there to hear him place the order personally and even though it’s only a dingy diner in the middle level of Coruscant, Obi-Wan feels special. He feels like they really went out of their way to make his day special and even though Jedi shouldn’t want or need these things, the fact that they appreciate him this much makes him feel alive, makes him extremely happy. 

The server droid whirls over to the table, three glasses of jawa juice and a whole chocolate cake with three forks on her tray. They thank her as she moves to another table before they all look at each other and smile. Mischief lights their eyes as Ahsoka gestures to the cake, giving Obi-Wan all the permission he needs. He takes his hand and shoves it into the right side of it, bringing the mess to his mouth and eating it, licking his fingers clean as Anakin and Ahsoka do the same. 

By the time the entire cake is gone, they’re all groaning in full discomfort. Dex brings them wet napkins to wipe the lingering chocolate mess off of their hands.  
The clock hits eleven pm standard and Ahsoka ushers them all into a standing position. All good things must come to an end, including Obi-Wan’s lifeday.

“ _Happy lifeday, Obi-Wan!_ Come back soon!” Dex says to them as they pile out the door and into the speeder, completely content for the time being.

 

 

**CORUSCANT, 5 YEARS POST MEETING**

 

Anakin races towards the council chamber as fast as he can without drawing too much attention to himself. The Chancellor, the leader of the Republic, his _friend…_ is the Sith Lord. Honestly, he should have seen this coming, should have expected that no one would give him the kind of the support the Chancellor did without some sort of ploy. He may be the chosen one, but even he isn’t special enough to gain that kind of love without a price. 

“I can grant you the power to save the ones you love from dying…” Images of his padawan dying, of him leaving Anakin’s side flash through his mind and he desperately tries to shake them off, tries to leave the thoughts of Obi-Wan alone. The nightmares he has been receiving since the beginning of their partnership flash behind his eyes and he knows that somehow this is what the force wanted. It wanted Anakin confused. _Wanted him vulnerable._

“Use my power, _I beg you!_ ” The Chancellor’s voice continues in his head as he makes his way through the temple. Random, stray eyes drift his way and he feels the horrifying urge to reach out and choke the life from each of them. Anything to save our beloved Obi-Wan, a voice in his head whispers. Anakin’s pace slows for a minute before he continues. He still has a long way to the chamber, and the traitorous voice in his head hisses at him that Sidious is the only other human being to offer to help him save Obi-Wan’s life. Obi-Wan is fine though, he’s okay, Anakin can still feel the sarcasm in his veins all the way to where he’s stationed on Utapau. 

How could the council do this to him? To them? How could they send his nineteen year old padawan out to defeat General Grievous for his great trial? It’s basically suicide, they sent Obi-Wan with no back up to be killed! The anger at these events simmers in his blood, boiling the emotions to fruition that he has tried so very hard to press back and keep at bay. 

Obi-Wan is still young, still has so much he should do before his life comes to an end and yet here the council is, sending his padawan to the very death Anakin has been dreaming about for five years. The nightmare floods his senses, the pain of his apprentice palpable on his tongue and the rage consumes him for a moment before he shoves it away. He knows Obi-Wan is strong and a skilled warrior. He will be fine, Anakin knows this. He has to be fine. 

In the meantime, he has a Sith Lord to expose and he continues down the long corridors, shoulders squared and head held high. Jedi look at him with wide eyes, something having shifted in him without his immediate notice. He makes it about thirty feet before the sounds of his padawan screaming and calling his name come back to him. He screws his eyes shut, stopping to hunch himself over for a moment. 

“It’s just a question of if you love the Jedi more than your _boy_ , Obi-Wan Kenobi,” Sidious’ lecherous voice once again reminds him and Anakin is walking again, knowing he has to alert Master Windu of the development in this sensitive situation. If you love the Jedi more than Obi-Wan… _Do you love them more than him?_ Anakin’s brain fumbles with the question. He had promised his deceased mother long ago that he would be a Jedi, his loyalty to them stemming from that and in loyalty to his master… Anger surges through him at the thought of Ahsoka and Anakin’s breath starts to come in short bursts. Ahsoka had left first, hadn’t considered her loyalty to Anakin above herself and her confusion, so why should he consider her now? 

One of the strings holding him to his spot snaps just as he reaches the chamber door and suddenly, Anakin can’t open it. His mother and Ahsoka are _gone_ , the only one left is Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan, who might _die_ today if Anakin lets the Jedi have their way. Padmé will understand if it’s for Obi-Wan, the boy she considers their son in a way. Anakin has never once seen him that way, but he understands the sentiment. Either way, he is important and Padmé would _want_ Anakin to save him. There is nothing holding him to the ground he stands on, nothing keeping him amongst the Jedi any longer. 

Taking one last look at the door, Anakin spins on his heel and walks back towards the hangar bay. _He has a Sith Lord to negotiate with._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you everyone for reading and putting up with me! I hope you enjoy this next chapter!


	7. seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> misadventures on mortis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> be prepared for no time jumps in this chapter... padawan obi-wan needs a lot of time to explain his escapades

**MORTIS, 2 YEARS POST MEETING**

 

Anakin had been separated a while ago, the cliff collapsing, sending Ahsoka and Obi-Wan to the ground and unfortunately, away from Anakin. He huffs, sitting up and stretching his muscles a bit. It had been quite the long way down. Ahsoka is blurry next to him for a brief time, blurry until he feels the rain drops on his head. They tingle a bit on his skin, causing him to look down in surprise. Ahsoka is staring at the drop spot on his arm, eyes wide with concern and worry. The tingling turns into an itch and then a burn, making him hiss in discomfort. He quickly finds the robe that landed near him and throws it on, determined to keep himself as dry as possible. Grabbing Ahsoka’s hand he races for the cave across the clearing they have found themselves in. Luminescent plants guide the way for him and he follows them dutifully, hoping they lead him to where he can keep Ahsoka safe. 

The cave is dark and slightly damp, lined with the same luminescent plants from outside, but at least the burning rain didn’t follow them in. Obi-Wan sighs in obvious relief, scrubbing the flesh that had bubbled under the drop of acid rain absentmindedly. Ahsoka sighs as she extracts her hand from the hold he had placed it in, stretching her fingers. He shoots her an apologetic glance for clutching too tightly and she smiles briefly in return, clearly still worried about Anakin. Obi-Wan can relate, anger and fear spiking in his heart. He releases them the way Ahsoka taught him to, but he can’t completely shake the anxiety. Anakin will be okay, he is always okay, and if it shows even once in their bond that he is not, _Obi-Wan will raise hell._

He finds some stones and removes the rations from his utility belt, sitting on the ground to start a fire. The fire starts easily enough, blue flames rising up until they become a red orange. Obi-Wan settles back, tearing into the rations as Ahsoka settles in for some rest and meditation. 

“Goodnight Obi-Wan, get some rest,” Ahsoka bids him from the other side of the fire. Obi-Wan smiles around the food in his mouth, earning him a fond shake of her head. The cold stone behind him warms the longer he leans against it. He finishes the bar and watches the flames rise higher and higher. Eventually, things settle and Obi-Wan feels his eyes slipping shut.

“Obi-Wan… Obi-Wan…” He hears his name being called and rouses from sleep dazedly, rubbing his eyes with the heels of his palms. 

“Who’s there?” He responds, voice groggy from his sleep.

“My name is Master Qui-Gon Jinn and I have a message for you…” Obi-Wan forces his eyes open and stares at the blue form in front of him.

“Master Jinn…?” Confusion laces his tone and he looks at the presumed ghost with apprehension and curiosity. The man has long greying hair and what looks like kind eyes. 

“Yes, Young One. I have come to warn and inform you… The truth is you are in a compromising position and not one that the force meant for you. Somehow, you have been placed in a loving role instead of a nurturing one, but your dedication to the chosen one is necessary and commendable,” the blue man circles the flames, not making eye contact at all. He stares out into the space ahead of him.

“Anakin Skywalker will _fall_ , Obi-Wan, and when he does you must be ready for training. You are in a unique position to save him…” The man fades, leaving Obi-Wan confused, exhausted, and utterly, completely horrified.

“Come back! Master Qui-Gon! Master Jinn, _I don’t understand!_ ” In the terrifying silence, there is no answer to soothe the young man’s nerves. 

 

 

The Daughter picking Obi-Wan up in the air and flying with him is surprisingly the least horrifying thing thats occurred to him in the last twenty-four standard hours and the sixteen year old truly doesn’t know how to feel about it. 

“Hello there, Ma’am… Miss… Mrs… You know lady, I’m not sure what to call you, but I’d appreciate you letting me know what is going on?” There’s a peal of laughter from above. The Daughter swoops down toward an arena, where Obi-Wan can see Anakin standing with another, much older man. He almost cheers in sheer happiness at seeing his master until…

“I hope my father is correct, Little One. I would hate to rid the galaxy of someone such as yourself,” It’s said with fondness in her tone, but the words turn him to stone. He wonders if Anakin is destined to fall today, but the force rejects that idea. Obi-Wan sighs in annoyance as she lowers him to his knees upon the solid ground. Across the space, he sees the Son deposit Ahsoka similarly. _As if that force forsaken cave wasn’t bad enough!_

“I have ordered my children to kill your friends. The question is, which will you choose to save? The master… or the apprentice?” Obi-Wan sees the fear and panic in Anakin’s eyes, sees the denial and anger that resides just underneath the surface. _He has to do something_. 

“ _Save Ahsoka, Anakin!_ She is a Jedi Master! She is more help to the galaxy than I am!” Obi-Wan yells, seeing Ahsoka struggle across the way. Anakin’s eyes shoot to her as well, even as Qui-Gon Jinn’s voice repeats the same words over and over in Obi-Wan’s head. He doesn’t care if he is meant for something, Ahsoka’s life is more important to him than any set destiny. 

“Let them go!” He hears Anakin yell and the rest is a blur until suddenly day becomes night and he is engulfed in a glow that appears from the markings in the floor. The force sings as Anakin forces the two giant bird children to their knees. Obi-Wan feels a petulant urge to kick the Daughter in her thigh, but he doesn’t, instead rushing for Anakin who stands in the center of the arena still. He throws his arms around his master, hugging him tightly, eyes squeezed shut. Anakin is still conversing with the Father, but he returns the hug as he does so, stroking Obi-Wan’s cheek as Ahsoka walks over and places a warm hand on her former apprentice’s arm. Obi-Wan’s sure things can’t get any worse.

 

 

Obi-Wan really needs to leave Mortis and like soon, he’s sure, or else he’s going to go insane. _Like turn to the dark side insane._ That’s a possibility at this point, he is one hundred percent sure. Now, the Daughter is leading him underground to some alter thing he isn’t even sure is real. After she picked him up, flew him around, and threatened to kill him, Obi-Wan isn’t really open to trusting the glowing woman. The force sings in her, light exuding from her very presence and it’s beautiful, but she already revealed her snake qualities to Obi-Wan once and he doesn’t like to be fooled twice. 

“Where are you leading me?” He questions the woman finally as they appear at the top of some sort of staircase. Honestly, when Obi-Wan turned sixteen someone should have warned him that this was going to be his future. Images of the blue ghost of a dead Jedi Master swim behind his eyes, but he shoves it away, not convinced the incident was even real in the end. He wasn’t even sure there had ever been a Master Jinn…

“I’m bringing you to the weapon that can destroy my brother,” the Daughter answers as if everything is as easy as that. Then again, having a daughter made of light and a son made of darkness was pretty black and white. 

“ _Right_ … Okay, got it,” he reaches the bottom of the stairs, which reveal an alter where a weirdly shaped piece of metal floats in midair. He reaches for it and it comes to him, settling itself in his hand. 

“You are worthy,” the Daughter says as a blade forms itself out of the weird metal, shining in the dim light of the cave. Obi-Wan is sure his expression is priceless and he’s happy no one but the Daughter is here to see it. The last thing he needs is for Anakin and Ahsoka to tease him about it. There’s a long way up, but he knows he has to get the sword to Anakin. He hides it in his robes and takes towards the stairs with determination. 

 

 

Ahsoka’s eyes are yellow as they focus on Obi-Wan and Anakin, her green lightsabers raised at her sides. Obi-Wan had joined the fight much later than he should have, Anakin already breathing heavily with repressed anger. The battle inside the castle he had left behind between the Son and the Daughter reflects what he can see from Anakin and Ahsoka now, his grandmaster being controlled by the Son himself. He focuses his attention on his grandmaster, his blue lightsaber ignited and held defensively. Anakin’s position is much more aggressive as normal and Obi-Wan almost yells at him for it. Instead, he sends a tug along their bond to remind his master that this is Ahsoka and they do not want to hurt her. He watches Anakin straighten a bit. 

“And now, the teacher will kill the undeserving students,” she hisses as duel green blades meet two blue. Anakin and Obi-Wan meet her full force, trying to subdue her. It works eventually, pushing her back enough that Obi-Wan can pull out the sword he had hidden earlier. 

“Where did you get that?” Ahsoka snarls, the Son’s voice coming through hers eerily.

_“Give it to me!”_ His attention is caught by the breaking of glass behind them, Son and Daughter tumbling out. Ahsoka grabs the sword from his extended hand and brings it to the Son. He laughs as she does and levels it at the Father, who has once again decided to join the action. 

“Your necessity has ended,” the Son sighs, waving his fingers. The life drains from Ahsoka’s eyes, their iris’ turning blue once again before they roll back into her head. Anakin screams, rushing towards her, but Obi-Wan’s eyes do not stray from the present action. _Ahsoka’s death must mean something…_

The Son rushes for his Father, sword raised to full height. 

“Father, _no!_ ” The Daughter shoves her way to front, the sword piercing her heart before the Son can realize what’s happened. Obi-Wan lets out the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. The Son drops the sword before fleeing, horror and sadness marring his force signature. Obi-Wan finally walks towards the scene, unable to be a bystander any longer. He joins Anakin, who sobs over Ahsoka’s body, still too numb to feel the pain he know waits under the surface of his all too thin skin. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees a movement. 

“Are you sure, my child?” The Father asks and Obi-Wan turns to see the woman nod, her glow fading quickly.

“Then let my daughter’s last action be to bring life back into your friend,” the Father says as Anakin scrambles between them, placing two fingers on each of their foreheads. Light engulfs their bodies, transferring from one to the other. When it is done and Ahsoka has awakened, Anakin weeps happy tears. Obi-Wan just allows himself to be pulled into the hug, eyes vacant and soul thoroughly stung with the loss of innocence Mortis has stolen. 

“Be strong, Little One, you are still so important…” A voice like wind chimes trickles over his psyche and he looks at the deceased Daughter in utter wonder. 

 

 

Obi-Wan has never wanted to leave a place more than he wants to leave Mortis, he thinks as he fixes the ship. Anakin and Ahsoka had gone out to deal with the Son hours earlier, leaving him to repair the damage himself. He would be upset, but in all honesty the planet was doing it’s best to drive him up a wall. Staying in the ship and away from the action sounds like a splendid idea to him at the moment. Maybe if he finds a spare moment he can meditate the insanity away. A loud chirping noise startles him out of his fixing mode, steely blue eyes falling on the com on the dashboard of the broken ship. So much for a relaxing afternoon, he thinks, grabbing it.

“Hello?” He says, not looking to see which of his companions actually commed him. 

_“Obi-Wan, it’s Ahsoka, and I don’t have much time so don’t ask any questions. Anakin has turned to the dark side. He is working for the Son. I need you to disable the ship and come to the coordinates I’m sending you as soon as possible-“_ The sound of a speeder forces Obi-Wan to cut the com, ending the shrill panicking voice of Ahsoka Tano on the other end. He looks around frantically grabbing the closest, most important part and launches towards the ceiling, hoping to climb his way past Anakin. He sticks the part in the pocket of his robes and bites his lip so hard he can taste blood. Anakin had turned to the dark side? _What?_ Still, he’s in no position to question her as his master comes up the ramp, eyes a sick yellow color. Once he passes, Obi-Wan drops silently, heading towards the speeder when he feels the force stop him. 

_“Where do you think you’re going?”_ The angry, vicious voice of Anakin Skywalker fills the space. Obi-Wan casts a withering glance over his shoulder, wincing once again at the color of his master’s eyes as they meet his own. 

“You know… I was just going to explore a bit more since I finished fixing the ship,” Obi-Wan tries to play off like he doesn’t know whats happening, what the man he knew has become. 

“Don’t **_lie_** to me, Obi-Wan! Not you... You’re the only one I can trust, the only one who deserves my love,” Anakin rants, causing Obi-Wan to freeze momentarily even without the force holding him there. In a desperate move, he thrusts his hand out, force shoving Anakin into the cockpit and releasing the hold in the force for a brief second. It’s enough, Obi-Wan darting towards the speeder and flying away from the ship as fast as he can. 

“Obi-Wan!” He hears called behind him in that cold voice and wills the bike to go faster. He needs to find Ahsoka. 

 

 

When he finds her, she has almost completely scaled the wall and it’s truly impressive. 

“Nice,” he comments blandly as she boards his speeder behind him, heart still aching sadly in his chest. Yellow eyes glare at him every time he blinks from behind his eyes and he feels heavy. 

“Yes, well,” his grandmaster responds, not continuing but placing her forehead between his shoulder blades as he soars out of the hole. He can feel her shaking and wishes to stop the bike just so he can wrap his arms around her and find comfort in each other, but it is not meant to be. 

“Here,” he says taking the piece of the ship out of his robes and handing it to her, “I did as you asked, the ship is going no where without that.” Ahsoka takes it with an appreciative hum. She smiles faintly behind him, taking solace in having Obi-Wan if Anakin was destined for a dark path. 

“Good. Let’s go try to save Anakin.”

 

 

As the ship leaves atmosphere, both the Son and the Father having joined the Daughter in eternal rest, Obi-Wan tucks himself in a corner of the supply hold and allows himself to cry. Information had been ruthlessly thrown at him and now he was doomed to deal with it on his own. He remembers the vacant look in the Father’s eyes as he erased Anakin’s and Ahsoka’s memories of what had occurred on the planet. The small nod he had given Obi-Wan right before the force left his body. Obi-Wan knew so much more than he had when he arrived and he’s not sure it’s a good thing. There was a Master named Qui-Gon who has training for him. Anakin was going to fall again if Obi-Wan doesn’t stop it. Ahsoka is tainted by the dark side. Ghosts exist and are a thing. Anakin is hideous with yellow eyes… The tears keep coming, sixteen year old Obi-Wan Kenobi silently sobbing himself to sleep behind cargo crates, hoping desperately that all of his misadventures on the strange planet had simply been an awful nightmare.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the first and one of the only chapters with no significant shifts in time! Im sorry if you guys wanted the full adventure on mortis, i really wanted to focus on obi-wan so we could change how this journey effected him differently than in the original. anyway, let me know what you thought of it!


	8. eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> obi-wan feels order 66, ahsoka leaves

**UTAPAU, 5 YEARS POST MEETING**

 

Obi-Wan is on Utapau, staring down at the corpse of General Grievous. The air is as dry as ever this high up in the mountain scape. There is a thickness Obi-Wan cannot describe that hangs around him, begging him to jump from the cliff and let him fall with it’s weight. The force is singing sorrowfully and he doesn’t know why, the victory of his accomplishment on his tongue like the sweetest taste. Grievous is dead and Obi-Wan is a Jedi Knight, he has passed his trials! _He passed!_ Anakin would be so happy for him, Obi-Wan can almost imagine the look on the man’s face when he cuts the padawan braid from his shoulder. He fingers at it aimlessly for a moment, allowing himself pride and happiness briefly as he can even smell the beginning of decay on the body behind him. He turns to look at the corpse with a sniff of disdain before ridding himself of his unfavorable feelings in the force and calling the varactyl he had ridden up back to him with a loud whistle  
.  
She comes to him quickly and he affectionately rubs her scales with his palm, a pleased sound rumbling out from inside of her. He smiles and jumps on.

“You ready, Boga,” he asks, laughing when she screeches in agreement. They leap off the edge, Obi-Wan forgetting about the foreboding force for a moment to truly enjoy life like he hasn’t since before he became Anakin’s padawan. The Clone Wars have ended after the death of Grievous, the Jedi have won, the Republic is free, and Obi-Wan is a Jedi Knight. The air is still dry and burns his throat a bit, but the closer they get to the water, the more Obi-Wan can feel everything stabilizing. 

 

 

The clones on the ground greet him happily, Cody clapping a hand against his shoulder.

“Good work, Commander Kenobi, the war is finally over,” the older man smiles and Obi-Wan throws himself into the clone’s arms, content to just stay with his dear friend and celebrate. It cannot be the case though, because although the war is practically over, it still has to be ended. Cody separates from Obi-Wan, a fond smile on his face. 

“I think you’ll be needing this, Sir,” Coda admonishes, handing Obi-Wan his lightsaber that had fallen during his fight with an amused shake of his head. 

“Thank you, Cody!” Obi-Wan climbs back up on to the varactyl and lets her carry him away, back towards where she can be reunited with her family and him, his star fighter. She scales the wall easily, allowing Obi-Wan to tell her stories of his time with Anakin in the war. He tells her the funny ones, the very brief love and happiness they have found within each other on time off from duty. 

“And then, Boga, the besalisk, Dex, brought me a whole chocolate cake! That we shared, but ate with our _fripping hands!_ So uncivilized…” He laughs through the story and smiles widely.

“Anakin, you know, I’m not sure we would’ve been paired if their wasn’t a war, so I’m somewhat glad it happened. He’s my best friend and I trust him with my life-“ The force screams, cutting the joy right out of Obi-Wan. Boga makes a concerned noise, but Obi-Wan can’t soothe her, his head screaming with the pain in the force. He brings a hand up to clutch his head just as a shot blasts him from the air. His life flashes before his eyes as he falls to what may be his death. 

_Anakin, I’m sorry!_

 

 

_“Commander Cody, execute Order 66,”_ the comm says to the clone who shuts down, obeying with no thought of who or what he is ending. Any image of Commander Kenobi, of Obi-Wan, is swallowed by the command. Cody stands there, looking up at the mountain side and feels a pang of regret somewhere deep down. He shakes his head to rid himself of the distraction. The Jedi are traitors, that is what the Emperor had ordered and as a good soldier, Cody would do what needed to be done. 

“Just wish you could’ve ordered that before I gave him back the _fripping lightsaber,_ ” Cody curses, ordering the cannon to be shot at the Jedi with his fingers. It is done. 

 

 

Across the universe, Emperor Palpatine hopes the boy dies and he doesn’t have to take care of him later. The pain it would awaken in Lord Vader would be delicious. 

 

 

Obi-Wan swims deep under the water, the little device in his mouth supplying him with oxygen. Boga, his new dear friend, had been the one to take the blast, Obi-Wan having realized after they fell that she threw herself to take it. She was a hero, he would remember her as such, would remember her as the creature who saved his life. He knows that if he were to be above the water at this second, the tears would be trailing down his cheeks and so he is almost grateful for the water. He doesn’t wish to appear as weak as he feels. The clones had sent bombs down in the water behind him, but Obi-Wan had immediately swam out of dodge, hiding behind a wall of solid stone. The ache of betrayal is thriving through him as he pulls himself out of the water into the small cave he had found. Slowly, drenched with water and the weight of a thousand deaths, Obi-Wan trudges out of the cave and begins ascending the back side of the mountain. 

The young man is scared to reach into the force, to find his brothers and sisters dead at the hands of the army supposedly created for them. He tries not to think of Cody or Rex, who had taken him under their wings and shown him how to play cards, how to fight, how to strategize, how to be drunk, and most importantly, how to be a brother to those around him. He tries not to think of how Cody must have ordered his murder, that being the only way he would’ve been shot off the mountain. Most of all though, Obi-Wan is desperately trying not to think of Anakin. He doesn’t think he could bare the heartbreak he would feel if he knew his master, his brother and best friend, had perished in this horrific war. He was no longer glad it happened, no longer happy that he had even _met Anakin._ If it meant the man would live, he would openly accept never getting to know him the way he has. 

A prod along their bond sends pure joy soaring through Obi-Wan’s heart and he rips the connection open, needing to feel Anakin’s warmth, his support. What he finds though, is nothing he ever wanted to feel again. _Just like Mortis…_ Obi-Wan gasps, hand coming up to clutch at his chest before leaning down and curling himself into a ball against the hard rock of the mountain. On the ground, he picks up the sharpest rock he can find, clutching it hard in his hand even as he feels wounds crack open in the flesh. Using the dark stone now stained with red, Obi-Wan fingers his braid delicately before using the rock to sever it from his head, to get rid of any connection he had to the Jedi and more importantly, to Anakin, _the traitor._ His shields slam up as the braid finally rests in his bloody palm, held towards the sky in an apology to the force. Sobs rack through him as he stands again and turns his hand over to face the slashing waves of the sea below. He places one final kiss on the braid and then allows it to fall, the bond snapping inside of him as he does. The pain is _bad_ , so bad he probably needs a mental healer immediately however, he knows there might not be any of those anymore. 

Obi-Wan climbs the mountain, away from his life as a Jedi Padawan to Anakin Skywalker to the life of Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi, one who will do his best to carry on the legacy his former master has rid the galaxy of. He no longer has any connection to the man who used to be Anakin Skywalker and so, he knows, he _has_ to find Ahsoka. 

 

 

**CORUSCANT, 4 YEARS POST MEETING**

 

“I’m sorry, Anakin, but I’m not coming back,” Ahsoka says, curling her former apprentice’s hand over the hilt of her remaining lightsaber. Tears swim in her eyes as she takes one step back from him, and then another, before spinning on her heal and forcing herself to leave the chamber she had once sat in as a Jedi Master. These people had been her friends, her family, but they had cast her aside at the first sight of betrayal, hadn’t believed her word on the matter. The un-jedi like feelings that itch under skin make her angrier, make her want to turn around and give the council a piece of her mind, but she continues, tears falling freely. 

“Master Ahsoka!” A familiar young voice calls to her and she forces herself to slow, turning to face the young man she adores so utterly that she has stopped her retreat for him. Obi-Wan’s clear blue eyes look up into hers with a fear lingering there and she chokes down another sob. She pulls the boy into her arms, pressing her face into his hair.

“Obi-Wan… My _dear_ Obi-Wan, remember that no matter where I am or what I’m doing you will always be safe and loved with me. I carry you in my heart _always_ , young one,” she cries a bit before straightening, placing one last lingering kiss to the crown of the shorter boy’s head. He had turned eighteen a couple of weeks prior to this, close to his own knighting. No matter what the Jedi have done to her, she is proud of him, that will never change. With that though, she takes her leave, ignoring the cries for her to come back as the boy follows her. Anakin is hot on her trail, she can feel it and so with a burst of the force she pulls Obi-Wan to her side and forces him to keep up with her. She would never forgive herself if she left him in Anakin’s path when he is like this. They reach the outside, the stairs that will take her away forever and she leans down, placing another kiss to the boy’s forehead. 

“I love you, Master,” he says to her and she smiles genuinely.

“And I love you, my little troublemaker,” she chuckles before hiding him behind a pillar with the force so Anakin cannot see him. Her former apprentice is a thunderstorm, the force cracking violently around him. She levels him with her best glare, determined not to back down to his brute force. 

“Why are you doing this?” Anakin grits out, anger seething from between his teeth. Obi-Wan watches from behind the pillar with wide eyes. Anakin had never been this angry outside of battle in front of him before. 

“The council didn’t trust me, _you_ didn’t trust me! I have raised you since you were a boy, but your first reaction wasn’t to stand by my side and that hurts Anakin…” Ahsoka is choking on tears that Obi-Wan wants to brush from her eyes. Ahsoka was the most uncomplicated thing in his life, the one who always supported him no matter what, he should be able to support her now. He sends love across his slight bond with her and watches her eyes flit to him briefly, filling with a grief beyond her anger at Anakin. 

“If none of you trust me, Anakin, tell me how I am supposed to trust myself?” Anakin reaches for her, her old lightsaber visibly clipped next to his on his hip, but she pulls away, turning away so she is no longer facing him. Obi-Wan wants to scream that he has always trusted her no matter what, but he has a feeling she knows. That he is the one regret she has walking away from this.

_“What about me?”_ Anakin whispers, sounding very much like the child he used to be.

“This isn’t about you, it’s about me… I have to do this, Anakin. I have to be free of this responsibility,” she croaks out of a hoarse throat before turning back to him and pressing a kiss to his forehead similar to how she did with Obi-Wan. 

“Ahsoka, Master, _please!_ I understand what its like to want to leave the order! More than you know… I understand wanting to leave,” his voice is a song of mourning, heavy with loss that has broken his heart. Ahsoka turns to walk away again, making it to the edge of the stairs. She turns her head back, looking at Obi-Wan, who remains hidden, and then to Anakin with sorrow in her eyes. 

“I know,” she declares, looking Anakin straight in the eyes as she does before taking the steps one at a time. She doesn’t look back again. 

Anakin stares at the open space for a while before heading inside, leaving Obi-Wan alone to finally collapse and mourn his loss at the edge of the temple steps. They both feel like children again for a while after.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> angst is heavy in this chapter, so sorry to anyone who doesn't like the way the story skips around. Thank you to everyone who reads, let me know what you thought of the chapter!


	9. nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Obi-Wan goes to Utapau to face his greatest trial and Anakin makes a mistake.

**CORUSCANT-UTAPAU, 5 YEARS POST MEETING**

 

 

“Understand, do you, Padawan Kenobi?” Yoda sits in the chair across from him and the boy nods quickly. He understands that they have gotten a lead on General Grievous’ location and that they believe in him enough to send him on his own. He’s not even sure if they told Anakin about this before deciding he was ready for his trials, but he knows they must have because its unheard of for a padawan to take the trials without the consent and acknowledgement of the master. Either way, Obi-Wan is thrumming with excitement. 

“Obi-Wan, you have proven yourself as a capable, intelligent, and well-rounded young man, one we believe is ready to take on the responsibility of Jedi Knight,” Mace Windu nods to him, a small fond grin on his face. 

“Thank you, Masters. I will not fail you,” Obi-Wan promises, looking at Mace with gratitude. The man had always been fond of him and Obi-Wan knows this must be partly his doing. 

“No, Padawan Kenobi, we do not think you will, but you have to remember not to fail _yourself_ ,” Master Mundi counters and Obi-Wan solemnly nods. His excitement is palpable, but he is a Jedi, he will not be ruled by emotions. 

“Go now, _you must_ , young one,” Yoda dismisses him. With a quick goodbye, Obi-Wan rushes to meet the 212th in the hangar bay, knowing that the sooner he goes the sooner he can come home for Anakin to cut his braid. _Maybe now he can grow that beard._

 

 

Utapau is dry and hot as he speaks to it’s leaders. It would remind him of Tatooine if not for the water below the cliff and the foliage he can obviously see lingering around the planet. They have weird markings on their faces, but Obi-Wan isn’t insensitive enough to comment on them the way Anakin might have in his position. He smiles and promises their safety as he backs into the shadows, allowing Arfour to lift his star fighter to a new location on the back of the mountain. The leaders have left him a varactyl named Boga, only asking him to take good care of the gentle creature. He watches until the ship disappears from sight, knowing the separatists will think he has been tricked and left the atmosphere. 

 

 

_Boga is a good friend_ , Obi-Wan has decided. One of the most loyal creatures he has ever had the pleasure of meeting. The creature rumbles happily as he rubs the sides of her scaly skin, causing Obi-Wan to smile despite his nerves. 

“Are you ready for this?” He whispers it, well aware that he cannot trigger any of the droids below. Boda hums a small affirmative and he rubs her affectionately once more before dropping to the metal walkway and moving forward silently. His heart is beating out of his chest, blood pumping faster from both exhilaration and nerves. There are at least a thousand droids beneath him, but this is Obi-Wan’s chance to prove to himself that he is brave on his own, that he can accomplish things without the crutch of Anakin or Ahsoka or Padmé or Cody. He has so many people waiting for him on the other side, he needs to be successful. _He does not have any other option._

He watches the droids move with steady eyes, hoping to find an opening in their ranks and take the drop when he does. He doesn’t have to wait much longer, the troops dispersing from a gathering and moving to their respective responsibilities. The 212th is moving in behind him, he knows, and that means he has limited time before his absence of action affects the situation. He doesn’t have endless time as much as he would like to, so he has to go soon, pounding heart or not. The opening appears and Padawan Kenobi takes his deep breath, allowing his hands to slip free from the bars and his body to drop to the ground.

Instantly, all eyes- or well, all whatever the kark droids call their eyes- _sensors?-doesn’t matter!_ -are on him. He smiles sheepishly at them as they part to allow Grievous to lay eyes on his Jedi intruder. 

_“Kenobi,”_ he sneers and Obi-Wan huffs. For only being a padawan, General Grievous had taken a particular disliking to him. 

“Hello there,” he smiles wider and chuckles a bit when Grievous gestures to the magnaguards to defeat him. These he can handle. He attacks with precision, locating the looming object above his head and rounding the machines into one spot before using the force to bring it down on them. He grins victoriously, ruthlessly cutting off the head of one who had managed to miss his demise, only getting his cape stuck under the ventilator. He walks confidently, his saber swinging at his side as he moves around it and faces Grievous alone once again. The droids surrounding them lift their blasters, sending fear down his spin a bit. _He hopes he hadn’t overestimated the sentients pride._

To his pleasure, Grievous snarls at him, removing his cape before speaking. 

“ _Back away!_ I will deal with this Jedi slime myself,” the creature says and Obi-Wan smirks a bit, happy things are going to plan for now. The thing refocuses on him.

“Your move,” he taunts the general. To no one’s surprise, he takes the bait. 

_“You fool!_ I’ve been trained in your Jedi arts by Count Dooku,” he says, extending his extra arms and removing not one, _not even two_ , but _four_ lightsabers to duel with before continuing, “Attack Kenobi.” Grievous laughs as Obi-Wan takes position. _Oh this will be fun._

 

 

**CORUSCANT, 5 YEARS POST MEETING**

 

Anakin bows in front of the man he has trusted for far too long, one knee painfully biting into the uncomfortable carpet. The man’s eyes have changed from blue to a _sick_ , sulfuric yellow, the color one would describe the smell of rotten eggs if such a thing could be seen. The disgusting things stare down at him now, powered by the greed and victory of winning the Chosen One over to his side with minimal manipulation. The fear of loss had driven the Jedis’ oh so powerful tool straight into his waiting, _hungry_ hands. 

“I will do whatever you ask…” Anakin gasps out, the pain of his betrayal crushing him with its weight, “Just help me save Obi-Wan’s life. _I can’t live without him._ ” The thought of Padmé’s righteous anger flashes through his mind. His _wife_ , his _lovely wife…_ He cannot afford to think of her now. _She will understand._ She will understand because this is for Obi-Wan, the boy who has rooted himself so thoroughly in their lives. 

“To cheat death is a power only one has achieved, but if we work together I know we can discover the secret. We’ve always made such a good pair, _my boy_ ,” the man who still looks like Palpatine says to him and Anakin bows his head more, knowing that he shouldn’t trust this man, this _Sith_ , but not being able to help it. _What other choice did he have?_ He was already kneeling at the man’s feet, it was too late for him. 

“I pledge myself… To your teachings,” he forces out. He needs his power to save Obi-Wan, to keep him alive on Utapau when those _dumb, fripping Jedi_ had sent him to his death. 

_“Yes…”_ The creature who was once his friend, who still _looks_ like his friend, but is so clearly _not_ hisses in sheer pleasure. His breathing sounds labored and Anakin considers unclipping his lightsaber and ending him right there, but he knows if he does, then Obi-Wan will die. He can feel it in his bones. 

“The force is _strong_ with you… A _powerful_ Sith you will become,” Anakin flinches slightly, but nods obediently anyway. If the Sith Lord is to help him, he must receive something in return. 

“Henceforth,” Anakin feels his breath coming faster and faster, “you will be known as _Darth Vader._ ” That’s it. He feels something within him break, the part of him still clinging to the light falling beneath his hands on the uncomfortable carpet he continues to kneel on. All of his anger, his frustration, his grief, comes to the surface, threatening to drown him if he doesn’t find an outlet for them. The light is out of his reach, abandoning him when he needs it most and so he turns to the thing that is welcoming him with open arms. _The dark._

“Thank you, my Master,” he says, his eyes unable to make direct contact with the man he has just sworn himself to.

_What have I done?_

“Rise,” the man says, moving away from him, back towards the desk Anakin has misspent so much time around. Anakin does. Slowly. 

“Because the council does not trust you, my young apprentice, it is my impression that you are the only Jedi who does not know of this plot,” he says and Anakin’s anger rises unreasonably quickly, happy to be and freely released from it’s confining chain. 

_“What plot?”_ He hisses in contempt. 

“Why, the plot to overthrow the government of course,” and that is what fully trades his loyalty from the light to the dark. His wife is a part of the government. _First Obi-Wan, now Padmé? Not if he can help it._

“When they learn that you have discovered the truth, they will kill us. Along with all of the senators,” his friend says and Anakin can’t help but nod in agreement. The Jedi were going to take everything from him. _This man_ , this man who had always been loyal to Anakin was offering his help. _How could Anakin have ever doubted him?_

“I agree. Their first move will be against the senate,” _those traitors_ , his mind adds when he’s finished. His new master raises his hood. 

“Every single Jedi is now an enemy of the Republic, excluding of course, your padawan, _Obi-Wan Kenobi_ ,” Anakin nods in agreement. Palpatine is _wise_ , Palpatine is _right._

“We must move quickly, my apprentice. The Jedi are relentless. If we don’t move now the galaxy will erupt in civil war without end,” he pauses, looking out at the Coruscant skyline before continuing, “First, I want you to go to the Jedi Temple. We will catch them off balance,” Sidious orders and Vader knows he will obey. 

“I understand,” he confirms, his face contorting into a snarl. 

“Do what must be done, Lord Vader,” the man says, “Do not hesitate. Show no mercy. Only then will you be strong enough in the dark side to save Obi-Wan.” Vader understands. 

“And what of the other Jedi spread across the galaxy?” He needs to know the traitors will be handled. 

“Their betrayal will be dealt with. After you go to the temple, go to the Mustafar system and wipe out the Separatist leaders. End this war!” Vader agrees and a small, dark smile appears on his face as he leaves. 

 

 

The door opens, revealing him to the room of younglings. For one, minuscule moment, he remembers a small boy with bright orange hair exiting a freighter on Christophsis, but he shoves it away. 

“Master Skywalker, there’s _too many of them!_ What are we going to do?” Vader looks down at the blonde boy. Perhaps if he had redder hair it would have paused him, but there is only one child he is concerned about at the moment and he moves forward, blade raised. The child’s eyes widen in horror and Vader cuts him down, cuts them all down ruthlessly, unaware of the tears that slip down his cheeks. 

 

 

The temple is empty of living Jedi, Vader himself headed for the hangar bay when his head ignites in fiery pain. He screams, dropping to his knees. The bond he had shared with his apprentice lies in shards around his shields and he feels the agony of it’s shattering. He takes his mental hands, desperately trying to put the pieces together gently, but they evade him or slip through his fingers. Once again unaware of the tears that stream down his cheeks, he allows himself a moment before heading to Mustafar to mourn what he assumes is the mistaken death of his Obi-Wan. The other option, that his apprentice has repudiated him, is too painful to think about.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here it is! sorry for taking longer than a week to update, I've been working on my new fic In Need of Help, which is basically based on the women's march but in space. check it out if you want! Let me know what you thought of this chapter in the comments!


	10. ten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> obi-wan returns to the temple and anakin goes to mustafar

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is sad and i am sorry

**CORUSCANT, 5 YEARS POST MEETING, 8 HOURS POST ORDER 66**

Obi-Wan has never been one to run from his problems, always facing them with ferocious determination. People around him call him the Negotiator; always one to work things out diplomatically instead of with his lightsaber. _Certainly not something he picked up from his master or his grandmaster_ , all of the Jedi used to whisper. _Used to._ Now, Obi-Wan stands alone in a Jedi Temple who’s walls are covered in blood both from the earlier massacre and the one he just inflicted on the clone troopers posted outside and inside of the building. He will not apologize to the force for this, won’t apologize to anyone for perhaps righting the scales a tad. Guilt washes over him, reminding him that those troops are not Cody or Rex or even and especially Anakin. Killing them has balanced _nothing_ for him. He tips his head towards the ceiling and lets his eyes slip shut to release his emotions before continuing. 

On the ground are the bodies of the people he used to think of as family. They’re lifeless and cold, the feeling of their skin becoming loose with the first signs of decay. Obi-Wan Kenobi is not squeamish, has grown up in a war fighting by the side of who used to be the most notable general in the Republic, but this sight in front of him causes vomit to stir in his belly and appear on the ground before him. He drops to his knees, another wave of nausea coming over him as his ration bar from earlier joins the rest of what little was in his stomach to begin with. Sitting back on his haunches, tears pour down his face. The bodies are becoming recognizable now, him having spent too much time in their presence. He forces himself up and away, unable to look into the empty eyes of Kit Fisto any longer. 

_Anakin, what have you done?_

He sees more and more of his family the further he walks in. His dear friends Bant and Quinlan both lie dead in the Halls of Healing, bodies strewn over corpses of what must have been recovering Jedi. A dead padawan Obi-Wan had helped find his lightsaber crystal hangs slightly off of a bed, the burn hole gaping widely in his chest. Obi-Wan has nothing left to throw up, but the tears keep coming. He kneels next to Bant and Quinlan respectively, kissing each of their foreheads before nearly running from the hall. The library is where Shaak Ti lies dead, her death clearly spent trying to protect the vault with all of the most dangerous holocrons. The vault is not open and he breathes a sigh of relief. The secrets of the vault died with the Council as it should be. He bends to her too and presses a kiss before moving on. If he stops for every dead friend he will be here for a month and as much as it grieves him, he doesn’t have time for that. _He has to escape Anakin._

The Council Chamber is his last stop before he will make his way to his and Anakin’s quarters to say goodbye to his life once and for all. The Jedi Obi-Wan had spent his life idolizing have been murdered in their own home, perhaps the weakest place where they needed to be strongest. They had been arrogant and Anakin, Anakin, had taken advantage of that. Obi-Wan is starting to feel like he has a gaping lightsaber burn in his chest too. He walks past Luminara and Master Offee, unable to keep his shameful tears in any longer. He had betrayed them all by not stopping his former master.

_How hadn’t I seen this coming?_

Mace Windu stares up at him from the ground in front of the open Council Chamber, his eyes wide in shock even in death. There is nothing poetic about it, just plain irony at the fact that a man who registered so little emotion on his face in life was animated in death. Obi-Wan chokes on a sob as he bends to close Mace’s eyes for him.

“I did it, Master Windu, I ended the Clone Wars by destroying Grievous… _I’m so sorry I wasn’t fast enough…_ ” The Master does not reply and Obi-Wan presses his forehead into the man’s chest, eyes squinted shut as he allows himself to cry for a few more moments. Master Windu’s lightsaber hangs on his belt, meaning he never even had the opportunity to defend himself. Anakin had killed Mace Windu in a sneak attack like a _coward._ Obi-Wan resists the urge to scream. He picks up the hilt and attaches it to his belt, knowing that the Master would want it to go towards reviving the Order. Mace’s skin is cold when Obi-Wan presses his forehead against the man’s own in a sign of Jedi brotherly affection.

The room, the Council Chamber, has no council members in it as one would expect, instead becoming the place where children were slaughtered. Walking in, the horror of it is too much and the ground catches up to him before his mind does, his feet helplessly shoving him backwards towards the entrance.

_Not the younglings… Anakin couldn’t have. **But he did.**_

Obi-Wan runs from the room, unable to look at dead children any longer. He fights his way through dead clones more viciously then they might deserve, opening the door to his old quarters. In the room, there is only one thing he came for, even if Anakin destroyed his heart and his life in one blow. There, on his dresser where almost no robes exist because he always loses them, is the snippet Anakin gave him all those years ago. He takes it and puts it on around his neck, shoving it between his tunics where he won’t see it and won’t feel it as much. 

On his way out, he pauses near the holofootage they have for security and he knows he can’t bear to watch it. To watch Anakin commit such atrocities. _But…_ Someday he will watch it because his fallen brothers and sisters deserve that at least. For their deaths to be recognized and not shoved to the back of his mind. He pockets it before turning around, almost running over the small green master behind him.

“Obi-Wan, good to see you alive it is,” Yoda greets, sorrow and pride in his eyes as he gazes up at the boy.

“ _Master Yoda_ ,” he breathes, nearly falling over the creature in an attempt to pull him into a hug. The old master allows it, patting Obi-Wan on the back reassuringly.

“Obi-Wan,” Yoda stresses his name, “if into the security recording you go, only _pain_ will you find.”

“ _I know_ , Master. I know what Anakin did,” he admits, his chin meeting his chest in shame. The joy at not being the only one alive is quickly being replaced with the knowledge that even if he has not fallen, he is still the apprentice of the monster who killed all of the people Yoda loved. 

“Gone, _dead_ , young Skywalker is. Consumed by Darth Vader,” Obi-Wan chokes on the name, the syllables Yoda pronounces causing him even more physical pain. Obi-Wan can only nod in response, the snippet around his neck seemingly burning through his undertunic into his skin. 

“To fight the Emperor, I must go, while Vader, you must confront on Mustafar,” Obi-Wan nods again, unable to disappoint the Grand Master of the dead Jedi Order anymore than he must have already. The little green creature hobbles over to the entrance, looking back at Obi-Wan once more and tossing him something. 

Obi-Wan catches the new comm with wide eyes.

“Use this to contact now, we must,” Yoda says gravely and Obi-Wan bows in clear respect.

“Yes, Master,” he says, slipping the comm around his wrist and tightening it so it will stay on. The master gives him the saddest of sheepish smiles in response. 

“Obi-Wan… _Proud_ of you, I am, as would be Master Windu and the Council. Truly worthy of knighthood, you are,” he says before he hobbles out of the Temple for the last time. Obi-Wan stands there as Yoda takes his leave, unable to process his words clearly. Yoda had just blessed his knighting, made him into a Knight of the order. Obi-Wan turns and heads back the way he came, hoping to find his ship in one piece. While Obi-Wan wishes to honor Master Yoda and the Jedi he cannot face Anakin. That might make him a coward, might be a betrayal to all those he passes again on his way out, but he can’t do it. _He won’t._ He loves Anakin, no matter what he’s done. Besides, Anakin would not kill Obi-Wan and there is no way Obi-Wan would win that fight, putting him into the hands of the monster Anakin’s become. He doesn’t care if he’s a coward, he’s not going to Mustafar. 

He opens his new comm and types in the frequency for Ahsoka he memorized long ago.

_“Who is this?”_ Her voice, even pitched lower to offer her some semblance of intimidation and security, sends warm feelings down his spine and he could nearly sigh in relief.

“Ahsoka?” He asks, hoping she’ll recognize his voice more then anything. 

_“Obi-Wan? Obi-Wan is that you?”_ He breaks into another fit of tears, the crystal like globs flowing down his cheeks once again. His eyes are beginning to burn. 

“Yes, it’s me,” he whispers out of a choked throat and he hears her start to laugh in relief a bit.

_“Obi-Wan, thank the force you’re okay. I thought you were dead and I,”_ she cuts off, choking on a sob, “thank the force you’re okay.”

“Ahsoka, can I come to you? I don’t know where else to go…” He trails off, desperately hoping she says yes.

_“Of course you can, I’ll send you coordinates to meet at right now,”_ she says and the comm cuts. Obi-Wan slumps a bit in his seat as he plugs the points she’s just sent him into navigation. He’s on his way to Ilum. 

 

 

**MUSTAFAR, 5 YEARS POST MEETING, 9 HOURS POST ORDER 66**

 

The heat of Mustafar is brutal, rising in visible waves. The bodies of the Neimoidians beginning to stink as they cook on the metal floor of the reactor. Anakin sneers, moving away from the steaming bodies towards the exit. Their screams had been delicious, he could practically still taste them as they vibrated through the lingering air and heat. He smiles, whistling as he leaves the complex to return to his ship. Artoo is still there, still waiting for him in the ship the way he’s supposed to be.

The echoes of another galaxy are audible in the force. One where Obi-Wan and Padmé confront him here, beg him to turn around and make the right choice. He feels the ache in three of his four limbs where he may have lost them, struck by a blade wielded by the boy he loves most of all. 

Those things do not, will not, should not happen to him here. His Obi-Wan is… _dead._

**_No._**

_No?_ Anakin looks around him, eyes roaming through the space around him for the voice. It isn’t there, there’s no one around him whatsoever.

**_Look, Chosen One. See…_**

Anakin sees a very tired looking Obi-Wan crying over Mace Windu’s body. The body Anakin skewered outside of the Council Chamber without so much as blinking. Anakin’s eyes would have narrowed if the vision wasn’t blinding him. In front of him, Obi-Wan is apologizing for being too late, for being unable to solve or fix what Anakin had caused. 

**_Do you see now?_** The voice says to him and Anakin does see. He sees it crystal clear. 

_Obi-Wan is alive._

Obi-Wan is alive and their bond was broken by him on _purpose._ He didn’t want anything to do with Anakin, didn’t want to give Anakin a chance to explain that everything he had done was for Obi-Wan. To _save_ Obi-Wan. 

_How dare he?_

Anakin would make him see, would make him _understand_. They belong together. They belong together so much even the force, which Anakin believes is the voice, says so. 

_And who is he to deny the force what it wants?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sad. let me know what you thought of the chapter!


	11. eleven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> obi-wan finds ahsoka and anakin hunts as a fully fledged sith.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i took creative liberty with both the temple and the crystals, i hope you all forgive me.

**ILUM, 5 YEARS POST MEETING, 72 HOURS POST ORDER 66**

 

Obi-Wan steps off of his ship, wrapping himself tighter in the robes that he’s been in since he went to fight Grievous. Right now, he’d kill for snow clothes and a fresher, a chance to rinse off all of the grime and dried blood. There’s a light snowfall around him, flakes falling gently on his skin. The force weeps around him constantly, the light sucked from it almost entirely. Before him though, is the place where he has always felt the force at it’s strongest. The crystal cave temple on Ilum, the one all younglings travel to in hopes of finding the crystal that speaks to them for their first lightsaber. 

It’s bitingly cold, the air around him whipping him quickly and brutally. He shivers, moving his robe slightly in hopes that the friction will create some heat against his skin. His boots provide minimal warmth in the snow. The lightsabers on his belt are dragging his body further into the snow with their weight. Carefully, he trudges forward, hoping to make it to the cave before the sun sets and the air gets even colder if its possible. Ignoring the way his breath fogs in front of his eyes he makes his way to the ice door that he will need to use the force to open. 

The large door stands between him and being free, the way to where he hopes he will find Ahsoka. He lifts a hand, only having done this once before with Yoda at his side and musters every bit of his power to his hand. The force hums with light around him, a sharp contrast to what its sung the last couple of days. Slowly, the wall starts to lift, the ice groaning loudly as it does. Obi-Wan would laugh with joy at the ability to do it by himself if his eyes weren’t squeezed shut with the sheer effort. 

Once the door is fully open, Obi-Wan slips inside, looking around the temple with wonder. Ahsoka isn’t there yet, hasn’t arrived and so he knows he has a bit of time. The caves are the same they have always been. He’s been here twice before and each time has been different then the other, the caves always leading him in a completely new direction. Behind the statues is a cave that has been blocked off for a long time, the boards being rotten through. One kick would cave them in and he’d be able to go in, but he doesn’t know why it’s been blocked off in the first place. 

Something in there continuously calls to him though, the force calling to him in a way it hasn’t in so long. He decides to risk it, knowing this is a decision Anakin would probably smack him across the back of the head for, but he doesn’t care. The force is calling to him in ways he’s only ever heard once before, when he had first met Anakin back on Christophsis all those years ago. He kicks down the boards in the chilly room, the cold still itching underneath his skin. The cave has an even chillier draft wafting through the now open cavern, but the crystals illuminate it brightly in white light. He wanders in, curiosity getting the better of him as he examines the strange crystals, looking at them with wide eyes. The cloak around him does a poor job of keeping the heat in, even as he wraps it tighter around himself, so he moves his feet faster. 

The crystals in this cave are brighter than he remembers, their sheer white light throwing him off. There are no hues of green and blue that reflect the smooth stone like in the other caves, just the pure white. Out of the corner of his eye, a bright flash distracts him. He turns, looking out at an expanse of white crystals, but next to him on the wall is a crystal that’s nearly blinding him with how bright it is. Leaning closer, he takes the crystal in his hand and breaks it off. There, laying in his palm, is the purest white crystal he has ever seen. He unhooks the lightsaber he’s spent the last three years fighting with and does not cry as he kneels on the ground. The crystal inside hums sadly, as if it knows they are at the end of their time together, but he will keep the crystal in the cave where a future generation might be able to use it. 

The parts of his lightsaber come undone easily, falling into a seamless heap on the floor. He catches the blue crystal, kissing it once before letting it fall with the parts, allowing him to focus on floating the white crystal out in front of his face. The parts of his old saber rearrange to form a smaller one, one that will accompany the remaining lightsaber on his belt. Mace Windu’s hilt may feel weird in his hand, but he will make it work for him with minimal adjustment. The white crystal slips in with the new silver hilt easily, the blade coming together like it was always meant for him. He holds the new hilt in his right, non-dominant hand, weighing it there. His blade, the one he forged, will guard his weak points, while he forces onward, honoring a dead Jedi Master by wielding the only purple blade Obi-Wan had ever seen. It’s symbolic he knows, Master Windu having told him about balancing his emotions between light and dark. It’s something Obi-Wan feels he can relate to at the moment and so, while he had always utilized a blue blade, the purple seems more fitting for him now. 

He leaves the weird white cave, two lightsabers hanging off of his belt like before only now both are new to him. When he emerges, Ahsoka is meditating on the floor in the center of the temple. He coughs awkwardly to catch her attention and suddenly, bright blue eyes that he once knew so well meet his for the first time in over a year. 

“ _Obi-Wan_ ,” she breathes and rushes for him, gathering him in a hug. He wraps his arms around her tight in return, happy to finally find some purchase on familiar ground. It feels like he’s been swimming for far too long, the effort draining him of his energy, but he has finally found land. 

“Ahsoka, I’m so happy to see you,” he whimpers, burying his face in her neck and breathing in the familiar scent of home. He can feel her cheeks lift into a smile and he wishes he could return it, but he’s just not quite ready yet. 

“Obi-Wan, what happened?” He stops breathing for a second before allowing himself to cry again. She soothes him and he hiccups a bit.

“Ahsoka I can’t tell you here, we have to get to safety…” She grabs his hand, hauling him out of the rapidly closing ice door and to her ship. She ignites it and they sit in silence as she pilots them out of the atmosphere and into hyperspace. They’re safely away from civilization when she turns to him, clearly looking for an explanation he isn’t ready to give.

“I’ll tell you everything,” he mumbles, not looking her in the eye, “but I have a question first.” She rolls her eyes a bit, but she knows whatever he has been through the last couple of days would take a lot out of anyone. He finally meets her gaze again before asking,

“Will you teach me jar’kai?” As he asks, he moves the robe covering his lightsabers, gulping as horror registers in his grandmaster’s eyes. She recognizes the blade, of course she does. _Mace Windu is dead and so is everyone else._

_Who could have done this?_

“Obi-Wan! Who did this?” She begs him and he looks down, tears falling from his eyes. She has to know who killed Anakin, who robbed her of her chance to say goodbye to her boy one last time. Her grandpadawan, her other precious boy does not answer for a while, his throat visibly working with the effort to speak the name he hasn’t since his life fell apart. 

“Ahsoka… _You know_ ,” he pleads with her, truly not wanting to even utter his name. 

“Obi-Wan, please,” she whispers and she watches him squeeze his eyes shut, the tears hiding in the crevices leaking free. He opens them, looking at her fully so that he only has to say this once, so that she will believe him the first time.

“ _Anakin._ It was Anakin, Ahsoka…” He trails off, a sorrowful look on his face as he continues, “but I suppose he goes by Vader now.” Ahsoka chokes, looking at the boy who had so quickly become an adult in her absence. She gathers him into her arms again, vowing to protect him no matter the cost. Even if the cost was Anakin’s life. 

 

 

**ILUM, 6 YEARS POST MEETING, 1 YEAR POST ORDER 66**

 

Anakin’s red blade ruthlessly cuts through the ice door, the thick black cloak around him protecting him from the harsh cold of the planet. The only lead he’s gotten on Obi-Wan’s whereabouts in a year has brought him here, brought him to see if his former padawan had been to the planet anytime recently. There had been a security image that he had picked up from the temple when he’d stopped by six months ago. The bodies had been removed, but Sidious had ordered him to see if as a former Jedi he could open the secret vault. He had, but he hadn’t told him that. Whatever was in the vault would serve only him and Obi-Wan when they ruled the galaxy. 

In the image, Obi-Wan’s hair was shaggier from not being cut in times of war, but there was no mistaking the absence of the braid that had once been there. Obi-Wan’s braid had been cut, however haphazardly, and he was alive, meaning that regardless of how Anakin felt about it, his boy had become a Jedi Knight. Jealousy rages through his blood, every ounce of him angry at whoever cut that braid in his place. That was _his_ right and someone took it from him, someone took his former padawan too though. He stiffens, walking into the old Jedi Temple and looks around, feeling the force for traces of Obi-Wan.

The force leads him towards a cave that is visibly brighter than the others, something within it calling to him. He shares a bond with something in this cave, formed from years of being the other half to a single warrior. His lightsaber sings as he approaches the small blue crystal that once resided in a blade wielded by Obi-Wan Kenobi. It hums sadly, abandoned by the same boy Anakin had been and he picks the small crystal up, kissing it once before placing it in his pocket and walking out of the cave. The implication is Obi-Wan has built himself a new lightsaber, has left behind yet another part of his history with Anakin. The place where their bond used to be is a gaping, aching hole in his mind, reminding him of the betrayal he endured by Obi-Wan leaving him. He shields it carefully, always keeping it hidden from the universe and especially his new master. Sidious thinks that Anakin keeps Obi-Wan close at all times and that is the way Anakin likes it, it keeps the Sith Lord’s greedy hands away from his boy. 

He leaves swiftly, trying not to allow the angry tears that prick the corners of his eyes to fall. Ilum is still cold, but the harsh wind does not bother him. His soul had frozen over long ago, what difference did this make to him. He boards his ship and sits there in silence for a few moments. Artoo had started ignoring him after Order 66, only accompanying Anakin with his silent repudiation. Anakin turns to scowl at the droid, who, while not having facial expressions, is clearly being as frosty as the air towards him. The silence stretches. 

_“Did you find him?”_ The droid beeps out, addressing Anakin personally for the first time in months. Anakin’s scowl deepens and the droid just sits there, clearly waiting for an answer Anakin doesn’t want to give. Once again, the silence stretches before Anakin sighs heavily, knowing that if he doesn’t answer Artoo will just go back to ignoring him. 

“No,” he says and the droid whirls, both happy and sad that Obi-Wan has once again evaded Anakin. The truth is, he wants the young boy he watched grow to run as far as he can and tear down Anakin’s empire at every turn. He just wishes Obi-Wan would rescue him so he could equally participate in the demise of the traitor. 

_“Any new leads?”_ The droid inquires further and Anakin shuts his eyes, slumping in his seat. He’s so close to just perhaps pausing for a bit in his search, letting Obi-Wan fall into him eventually. The force would bring Obi-Wan to him at some point, Anakin could feel it in his bones, but some point was not now, and Anakin wasn’t a patient being. 

“No-“ He cuts himself off as he feels his pocket vibrate. He quickly pulls out the crystal which hums loudly, the lingering lifeforce of his padawan throbbing around it. He may not know where Obi-Wan is, but this crystal is very clearly telling him why Obi-Wan was on Ilum in the first place-or, more specifically, who he was there to see. A snarl rips itself from his throat before he can help it, Artoo skirting backwards a bit. Anakin knows that in order to find Obi-Wan he has to find another part of his past. 

_Ahsoka._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay so what did everyone think? we still have another chapter to go before everything meets up again but I promise to have the chapters up soon! Again, I know my crystal mythology is a bit off, but I took liberties with it as well as with the temple on Ilum to fit the story better. Thank you to everyone who reads this story and if you have any head cannpns/questions/just want to talk, hit me up on intergalacticfuckup.tumblr.com I'd love to hear from you guys on there too!


	12. twelve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> what happens to padmé some of you may have asked... good question

**CORUSCANT, 5 YEARS POST MEETING, 15 HOURS POST ORDER 66**

 

_I’m pregnant and my husband doesn’t know, I never told him._

_I’m pregnant and my husband is a killer._

_I’m pregnant, my husband is a killer, and he has destroyed the Republic._

_I’m pregnant and if I stay, my children will be touched by a murderous dictator._

_I’m pregnant and if I do what’s right I will break both my heart and his._

_I’m pregnant and if I don’t go I’ll break my own heart anyway._

_I’m pregnant._

Padmé stares at the skyline as tears slip down her cheeks. Her husband is nowhere to be found, won’t answer his comm to tell her what she already knows. The temple burns in the distance, the air around her screaming with pain and suffering. Her thoughts all come back to the sole fact that she is with child, with children, two lives growing stronger within her as each day passes. She had meant to tell Anakin months ago, but that just hadn’t happened with the craziness of war. Instead, she had confided in Ahsoka, who hadn’t spoken to Anakin in about a year. She hadn’t told her husband, which very plainly meant that there was no way he knew. Joy threatens to choke her as she realizes that while she might not be able to save Anakin, might not be able to forgive or redeem him, she can keep the two little lives she already loves more than anything safe from him. 

He will be back soon, the weird feeling she sometimes has reappearing, the little hairs standing up on her neck. She soothes her belly, knowing from her brief session with Master Yoda before Anakin had even returned from war, that the twins are force sensitive and therefore she has received some of their abilities during her pregnancy. The screaming in her ears grows so loud she has to take a step back, allowing the nervous droid Anakin had gifted her to fuss, moving her to take a seat. The anxious thing is prattling to her, words coming out of him left and right, but she can’t hear him, just stares in shock and horror at the man who stands in the entrance of her living area. The droid finally follows her gaze.

“Master Anakin! You’re back! Thank the maker, something is _dreadfully_ wrong with Miss Padmé,” Threepio throws her under the speeder, her husband quirking one eyebrow at her. His eyes shine a bright yellow, fear creeping up her spine as his aura finally reaches her. It’s _dark_ … Dark and _angry_. She subconsciously pushes herself further back in her chair, looking for comfort. 

“Padmé,” he breathes and he sounds so much like Anakin, clearly hiding the anger that she can so clearly feel running beneath his skin. His deceit sends anger skirting across her skin, eliminating the fear. This is Anakin, no matter what he’s done. _He would never hurt her._

“Anakin,” she starts wearily, “where’s Obi-Wan?” She needs to know that Anakin hasn’t hurt the child that had been obviously misplaced in his care. Her husband’s face grows stormy quickly, the hidden anger being barely concealed. 

“He’s gone, Padmé! Can you believe it? Everything that I’ve done was for him and the ungrateful brat _runs_ from me!” Her breath catches, relief flooding through her even as Anakin’s words freeze her to her core. Obi-Wan had run from Anakin. If Obi-Wan had thought he had no choice but to leave, Anakin was far too gone to save. 

“I can if you’ve done something you can’t come back from,” she says and the anger breaks through finally. Her husband whips towards her, yellow eyes glinting dangerously.

“You don’t know what you’re saying. _He_ told me you might be like this, that you might not understand why this is right, but I told him you would. It was for Obi-Wan and you would understand!” Padmé backs away slightly, standing against the wall farthest from her husband in the room. It isn’t him, the man in front of her is not the same one who married her on Naboo and came home to her five years ago in sheer fear of raising a child. This isn’t the man she trusted with her children and the He that her husband speaks of is so clearly Palpatine, the man Anakin trusted over the rest of his loved ones. It is the realization that she cannot let the twins or Obi-Wan near this creature who lived inside of the man they all loved that finally makes Padmé sure of the route she has to take.

_I’m pregnant and when I do what’s right I will break both my heart and his._

_I’m pregnant and I’m leaving him._

Padmé takes a deep breath and calls Threepio into the kitchen while Anakin just watches her go. He can’t hear her tell Threepio to collect just the practicals of her belongings while she breaks her marriage off at the stem. Anakin is still looking at where she exited when she enters again, his eyes narrowed. 

“What are you doing?” The man she loves is in there still, she can hear his insecurity of her love cracking through, but she cannot save him. He has made a deal with the devil and she cannot pull him away from it. 

“Anakin, I can’t stay and watch you become an advocate for everything I stand against,” she says as controlled as she possibly can. How her husband has managed to not notice she’s pregnant is truly astonishing, even if she’s only so far along in the process. She shields her stomach as his eyes widen in fury. 

“You think you can _leave?_ ” His tone is incredulous, but she remains firm, she will _not_ let him turn her into a captive. 

“I know I can,” she says still hoping he wont hurt her, but her precious love betrays her trust once again when invisible fingers tighten around her neck. She gasps for air, her hands moving to her throat before shifting to guard her stomach incase she falls. The man who she used to know glares up at her and she begs with her eyes for mercy. Eventually, the man lets her go, apparently not willing to lose her.

“Take that as a warning. You will _not_ leave,” Anakin swears before grabbing his cloak and storming from her apartments in a rage. She sighs in relief. In another life, it would have been him sparing her, giving her the opportunity to leave. If it was Anakin that had stormed from their home it would have been, but she knows whoever that was, it wasn’t her husband. It wasn’t the man she had married on Naboo all those years ago. His replacement hadn’t fled for her, he had fled for him, so that he wouldn’t kill something he had labeled as his. Threepio appears in the doorway, his arms carrying two largish suitcases. 

“Go load them on the ship, I will meet you there,” she orders, hearing his affirmation before she goes to their bedroom, taking a last look at the place where her marriage had grown and flourished and ended. Tears threaten to fall as she takes the snippet from around her neck and leaves it on the fully made bed. Her marriage is over, her husband dead, and she has a job to do. 

_I’m pregnant and I just left my love._

_I’m pregnant, I just left my love, and I have a rebellion to start._

 

 

**YAVIN IV, 6 YEARS POST MEETING, 1 YEAR POST ORDER 66**

 

Padmé holds a baby in her arms as she witnesses the construction of what will become the rebellion’s strongest central base. Hangars are scrambling together to hide ships, old buildings being renovated to fit ships and fighters where they can’t be seen from above. The child coos and she smiles down at him, reaching a delicate finger in to poke his nose a bit. 

“Hello, Luke, how are you?” Her son smiles up at her and she feels complete as she stands there under the sun. The air is clean and refreshing, something she’s extremely thankful for. Luke reaches up, looking for her hair to pull on like usual, but she had cut it two days prior. She keeps it close to her head, not wanting any distraction and honestly, Anakin had always loved her long hair. She didn’t want to think of him. 

Her boy has the beginning of a head of blonde hair and the bluest eyes she has seen since his father’s before they shifted to reflect his tainted soul. She tries not to dwell on it, knowing Obi-Wan would advise against it. Her ex-husband’s padawan was talented and he always tried to help Padmé let go of her human attachments. The woman used to smile politely and participate just to keep the boy happy, but she knew her attachments were a strength, something that gave her a fire in her soul. They were what made her herself, even if they equally shattered her and placed her pieces back together simultaneously. Still, the meditation tactics the boy used help her now, keeping the anger out of her daily life as much as possible. 

Her other baby, Leia, squeals with laughter as her companion throws her a bit, catching her easily and laughing a bit on his own. He had met up with her soon after she left Anakin, had refused to leave her as she raised his general’s children. She smiles at her dear friend, offering her open arm to take her other child, but the man just shakes his head, smiling fondly down at Leia. 

“You’re too kind to us wayward Skywalkers, Rex,” she comments idly, a bright grin on her face as the former Captain coos down at the baby girl in his arms. He turns his face to smile at her, a sincere look in his eyes that only started appearing around six months after they started traveling together. Padmé is not a fool, she knows Rex originally only stayed with her out of loyalty to the man they both used to love as a husband and a friend, but he stayed and that’s all that matters to her. He never left her or hurt her children, always offering to help her in any way she needed. He was her best friend and closest confidant with Obi-Wan and Ahsoka having long since gone AWOL. 

“All in a good day’s work, Padmé,” he smiles back to her and she laughs, easing back into her normal behavior. They had almost been caught by Vader on Dathomir trying to find any remaining Nightsisters who would join in their crusade against the Sith. It had been close, the small, growing Rebel Alliance fleeing as fast as they could when they got intel that the enforcer himself would be making an appearance. Her children, of course, had stayed here on base with Bail and Mon, always protected and kept away from dangerous missions. 

“He almost got us this time,” she sighs and feels Rex go solemn next to her. They had both sworn themselves to their rebellion, to each other, and to the small children they were doing their best to raise as healthily as possible. Leia already has more of a temper than her brother, something that reminds Padmé of her father. Rex handles her better when she gets like that, having been on the receiving end of Anakin’s wrath on more times than was nearly excusable. The twins are becoming _people._ Real living, breathing, sassy people and more than anything else, Padmé is happy that she gets to watch them grow. 

“He won’t catch us, Padmé, and even if he manages to, he will never get his hands on the kids,” he swears and she smiles at him. The construction is coming along well and for now her, her friends, and her children are safe from Anakin and his awful empire. It’s the most she can ask for from the force, it’s everything she needs. As long as the man she no longer loves stays far from her, she is okay. 

“Thank you, Rex, you being here is everything to me,” she says sincerely and they turn to watch the new trainees work through drills. Pilots stand around in different colored jumpsuits, The armory is guarded by two former clones she doesn’t know the names of and the main strategic base stands near the edge of their new home. She and Rex live in a small unit off to the side, a three bedroom building with a small living area, refresher, and a kitchen. They each have their own room and they respect each other’s personal space, leaving their company for their unconventional family in the day and rejoining in the company as dusk moves to dawn. 

The rebellion is a life that is so much different then the one she used to live on Coruscant. She leads troops the way Anakin used to, or she guesses, still does, but she fights against tyranny while raising her twins with the help of an unlikely ally she now never wants to live without. Padmé knows Anakin hunts for her, but she takes the horrible solace in knowing that she isn’t his main target, isn’t the one that he hunts with all of his might. Pity flows through her for her third child, the one she can’t find, but she has to trust that he is taking care of himself. Someday, she hopes to see the end of Anakin’s empire and her family together again. Anakin doesn’t deserve it, but she does hope he can meet his children eventually, she still loves him enough to grant him the small kindness of hope in her battered heart. 

This isn’t the life she pictured herself living, but given the circumstances she wouldn’t change it for anything. She takes Leia from Rex and walks her two babies to their little homestead, ready to put them down for their afternoon nap.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> next chapter will return to the major plot line, but i hoped you liked the solving of where padmé was post order 66. let me know what you thought of the chapter! check me out on tumblr and come talk to me over there if you want to discuss literally anything star wars: [https://www.tumblr.com/blog/intergalacticfuckup]()


	13. thirteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ladies and gentlemen, the moment you've been waiting for....

**TATOOINE, 8 YEARS POST MEETING, 3 YEARS POST ORDER 66**

 

Obi-Wan’s twenty-second birthday is off to a good start, Ahsoka making him the good pancakes that he likes. He smiles when he smells them, getting out of bed and moving through their little homestead towards the kitchen upstairs. The air is warm, sunlight cracking through the cheaply made curtains, revealing the little particles of dust that float around him. In a chest in the corner is their lightsabers, hidden if only to keep appearances. 

Life on Tatooine has been dreary, action he used to be so used to suddenly absent. He spends his days making sure the vaporaters are working and trying to communicate with the strange Master Qui-Gon that decides to visit him sometimes when it suits him. They had moved here soon after reuniting, becoming part of the local community to keep themselves hidden and safe. Ahsoka and he had a hard time adjusting at first, but they did so anyway, knowing Tatooine was Anakin’s least favorite place and the chances of him returning were slim. The air is as dry as ever as he pulls back the curtains, wandering in to the fresher to brush his teeth and settle his hair a bit. When he’s done, he takes the blanket he used to sleep and shakes it out before folding it up and putting it in a trunk to avoid the sand fleas.

Finally, he’s ready to greet another lifeday. _Another year since the end of his world._

The homestead still smells wonderful as he walks up the stairs to where the kitchen is, feeling a tug wanting to drag him back down the stairs. He stops where he is, searching the force for a warning only to find it extremely… _happy?_ He narrows his eyes and creeps back down the stairs, towards the chest that hides his most precious belongings. His tunics are no longer those of a Jedi, but he feels the feeling of wool scratching against his arm as he leans forward, unwrapping his lightsabers from their safekeeping and holding them defensively. The force has not felt happy since the fall of the Republic and so, Obi-Wan feels he has enough reason to be concerned. 

He goes back up the stairs slowly, thumbs hovering over the ignitions to his weapons as he does so. The truth is, he hopes all he finds is Ahsoka and his lifeday pancakes when he reaches the kitchen. He might miss the action he once spent his life in, but more than anything he dreads its return. A crash brings him forward suddenly, his training thrusting him into danger before he can even think to pause. The kitchen is empty, dishes broken everywhere, the only solid one left being the one a large stack of pancakes are set on. Obi-Wan rushes around the corner, checking all of the rooms before he realizes that Ahsoka is not there with him. 

_Her force signature is gone. Gone? No… Hidden._

_But how do you hide a force signature?_

Obi-Wan runs outside of the homestead, igniting both lightsabers and holding them closely, defensively. Still, the force only sings around him in a way he hasn’t felt in so long and it’s disquieting. Tatooine is the same even as the careful existence Obi-Wan has crafted is seemingly falling to pieces before him. He shifts a bit, sniffing the air for any hint of change, but senses none.

“Ahsoka?” He finally calls and gets no response. There was no note, no way of communicating that she had gone to town like usual. He turns off the sabers and heads to the kitchen, examining the scene further. There are no signs of a weapon, just an obvious sign of distress with all of the broken clay. Obi-Wan touches a pancake, frowning when he realizes they’re still warm. The hairs stand up on his neck just as the thing that has been hiding reveals a bit of itself. 

The air chills and Obi-Wan freezes in his place; pancake in hand, lightsabers on belt, and old master standing before him for the first time since he had departed for Utapau all those years ago. 

“Where is Ahsoka?” Obi-Wan squares his shoulders, looking the yellow eyed man in the eyes for the very first time. Vader cracks a smug grin at him, tilting his head mockingly. 

“Hello, My Wayward Apprentice, no greeting for your old Master?” Vader’s eyes hold none of the warmth Obi-Wan is used to from the man and he flinches. Obi-Wan had prayed that the force would be kind enough to prevent them from meeting again. He couldn’t stand against a man that looked so much like Anakin, no matter what he’d done. 

_“Where is Ahsoka,”_ he repeats, taking the fearful question out of it. It is a statement, a threat. He wants to know where Ahsoka is. Vader scowls, the jealousy creeping into his aura. His fingers twitch, looking to control Obi-Wan the way he does everyone else, but the boy rips his lightsabers off his belt once again without blinking, settling into the jar’kai form he had learned from Ahsoka, the pancake falling to the floor with a squish. The form isn’t as smooth as his soresu used to be, but it gives him a good feeling that he had broken away from the boy who had idolized the monster in front of him. 

Vader looks at the purple blade in front of him in shock, clearly surprised that Obi-Wan had kept the lightsaber of the deceased Jedi Master Windu. The jealousy is raging in the man’s eyes as they narrow, anger filled slits telling Obi-Wan all he needs to know. 

“Obi-Wan, lower your weapon, I don’t want to hurt you,” Vader says, his face still twisted in it’s ugly scowl. Obi-Wan narrows his eyes, looking quickly over the horizon to where his ship is. He feels the urge to run in his veins, but he doesn’t know where Ahsoka is and he can’t leave until he does so he just turns his attention back to Vader, who grows stormier by the second. The yellow eyes follow every single move he makes, whether it be eye movements or physical, or even perhaps mental. Obi-Wan knows Anakin was powerful the last time they had met, but as a _Sith?_ Obi-Wan has _no clue_ what exactly he is dealing with, he doesn’t know Darth Vader and that is dangerous. He lowers the weapons, but keeps them on. 

“Where is Ahsoka?” He asks one last time because more than anything, he wants to be away from Anakin again. He can’t handle seeing him like this. He can’t handle Vader. 

“She’s safe. On my ship,” Vader jerks his head left of the homestead and Obi-Wan knows that if he goes, if he gives in and leaves with Vader, he will be giving up himself. He looks his former master in the eyes, trying to make the goodbye they never got as personal as he can without screaming. 

“I can’t go with you, Anakin. _I refuse to_ ,” he chokes on his next words, the emotion crawling up his throat, “you’ve broken my heart…” He soon discovers though, that the real choking is not from love or loss or any sort of emotional pain, it’s from Vader’s clenching fingers. 

“You think you have a _choice_?” Obi-Wan’s eyes widen in fear, his lightsabers swinging wildly by his side. The thought to throw one in defense crosses his mind, but even as Anakin chokes the life out of him, he can’t bare to hurt him. So, Obi-Wan does the one thing that all of his training, all of his survival instincts, and his brain tell him is the worst decision. Both the purple and the white blade hit the sand his feet are no longer touching and he relaxes into the choke hold. 

Anakin’s eyes widen a fracture of a millimeter, but he keeps his hold. Obi-Wan’s eyes shut, letting Anakin decide his fate once and for all. 

_“I loved you,”_ he whispers as his world goes dark, taking him from the sorry existence that had been his life of Knighthood. His body hits the ground with a loud thump, sand flying up around him in a cloud, illuminated only by the lightsabers that lie at his sides.

Tears fill Anakin’s eyes from the dust and also because force Obi-Wan has always been the one that cracks past his shields. The place in the back of his mind where their bond used to be flares to life at the sight of his unconscious boy, a single strand recreating itself there just by sheer proximity. The force is still singing loudly in his ears, the way it has been since he landed on Tatooine during the night to handle business gone wrong with Jabba. He gazes down at his boy, finally back in his grasp after so long, and smiles, picking him up and carrying him bridal style back to the ship. Ahsoka is being kept in a cell, but he places Obi-Wan gently down on his bed before going back out of the ship. The two lightsabers his apprentice has chosen to wield soon find themselves clipped onto his belt, he himself taking in the horizon of Tatooine and the twin suns. Knowing that his life will finally begin to fix itself with Obi-Wan’s reappearance, he returns to his ship slowly, savoring the dying heat. He sits next to Obi-Wan briefly when he returns, putting the unconscious boy under a strong suggestion to stay asleep until Anakin wishes for him to wake. 

“Happy birthday, Obi-Wan,” he whispers to the unconscious boy on the bed next to him, “finally we can be together again.”

 

 

 **CORUSCANT, 11 YEARS PRE-MEETING**

 

“Master! Master!” A young Anakin Skywalker slows down, his braid swinging as he turns to look upon the toddler who demands his attention. He smiles, endeared by being called such a title by a youngling. The toddler has red hair and grey eyes, chubby cheeks smiling as Anakin gifts him his attention briefly. 

“Hello, Master,” the boy waves excitedly up at Anakin. Anakin himself had just left a harsh lesson with his master and wasn’t in the best of moods, but the boy was adorable, the light radiating from his force signature warming Anakin like he was basking in Tatooine’s twin sunlight. 

“Hello, youngling, how are you on this fine morning?” Anakin is trying his hardest to keep his foul feelings from the force, knowing too well how capable younglings were of picking up on negative emotions. The small boy extends his arms upwards towards Anakin’s face, indication that he wants to be picked up. Anakin obliges, lifting the youngling into his arms, twisting him onto his back where the child latches on and sighs when the young boy begins to play with his braid, twisting it in between his stubby fingers. The boy is giggling as Anakin resumes his walk, his small body bouncing up and down with each step. 

“Go _faster_ , Master! Faster, faster, faster,” the child babbles as Anakin grumpily obliges yet again, turning and jogging back towards the creche where he will be able to deposit his new friend back where he belongs. Anakin finally cracks a small grin at the child’s obvious happiness and settles to take the boy on a joy ride before returning him, looping down a hallway that takes him away from the creche. He slips a bit, the child jostling uneasily, falling off of his back on to the floor. Anakin frowns in worry when a loud shrieking cry erupts from the small boy. Instantly, he finds himself on the ground, soothing the unsettled child. 

“Shh, _shh_ , I’m sorry, little one,” he whispers, straightening out the robes on the child before continuing, “you’re okay.” The boy hiccups a bit as he calms down, looking up at Anakin with shiny grey eyes, left over tears lingering in their corners. Anakin lifts his thumbs and clears them away. 

“What’s your name?” The boy hums, returning quickly to his state of contentment in the force. 

“My name is Obi!” Obi is grinning as he responds, displaying crooked teeth as he does. Anakin smiles in return. 

“Would you like me to give you a piggyback as I return you to the creche?” Obi looks weary for a brief second.

“You won’t hurt me again will you?” He asks, bottom lip coming forward and Anakin quickly shakes his head.

“No. I won’t ever let anyone hurt you again,” he promises and the boy scrambles up onto his back when he bends over. He walks at a slower pace, listening to Obi’s chatter above him happily as he does. The boy describes his life in the creche and his friends to Anakin as they go, distracting Anakin from his earlier unhappiness. He smiles and waves when the creche master lifts Obi off his shoulders and carries him back inside.

“Bye, Master! Come visit me soon!” Anakin smiles as he walks to where he can feel his Master in the temple, ready to apologize and resume earlier’s lesson. 

 

 

Yoda and Qui-Gon Jinn hang back in the shadows, watching Young Skywalker walk away from the boy the force so obviously shoved onto him. 

“Too soon, it is, for Skywalker to have the boy in his life,” Yoda sighs, clearly saddened that they will have to keep the boys separated for the time being. 

“But Master, the force clearly wants them together. You heard the way it sang for them, they should be together!” Qui-Gon stubbornly responds, earning him a stern hit with Yoda’s gimer stick. 

“ _Too soon_ , it is, Qui-Gon, too soon,” Yoda says, offering no more reasoning and the Master grumpily pouts, Yoda side eyeing him from below. 

“A strong pair, they one day will be, but learn first, Skywalker must,” he elaborates and Qui-Gon concedes to Yoda’s wisdom, nodding solemnly. 

“And if Skywalker refuses to train the boy?” Qui-Gon asks and Yoda’s lips press together, clearly having been thinking of the same thing. They could not force Skywalker to feel the bond between him and Kenobi and so they were leaving the destiny of the small boy in the hand’s of another, far more volatile child. 

“Then train him, one of us must, for important, the boy is,” Yoda decides and Qui-Gon just nods. They will be ready for whatever path the young boy has to take.

Qui-Gon knows he is important to Kenobi’s path in the force, even if he isn’t destined to train him in this universe. He watches Anakin until he disappears from sight, wishing more than anything that Obi-Wan’s path wasn’t connected to the thunderstorm that was Padawan Skywalker.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> boom. what did everyone think of the chapter? let me know in the comments and feel free to stop by my tumblr to chat: [intergalacticfuckup](https://intergalacticfuckup.tumblr.com)


	14. fourteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> obi-wan and vader interact. the force is quite the singer

**OPEN SPACE, 8 YEARS POST MEETING, 3 YEARS POST ORDER 66**

 

Obi-Wan wakes up in a big bed, the artificial air conditioning flowing through his lungs steadily. He keeps his eyes shut, knowing that wherever he is, it’s not in his cot on Tatooine and it’s certainly not back at the temple where he could believe the last three years never happened, so he resolves not to open his eyes. 

“I know you’re awake,” comes the all too familiar voice from across the room and he shudders, squeezing his eyes shut tighter before opening them and sitting up. Vader is lounging against the dark wall, yellow eyes popping out of his head with an eery glow. Obi-Wan flinches, moving back against the headboard automatically, wanting to get as much distance between the two of them as possible.

“Hello, Obi,” Vader smirks down at him, a victorious gloat on the tip of his tongue. Obi-Wan glares, not wanting to hear anymore. 

“Vader,” he greets icily and watches as the man’s eyes widen in shock. Anakin doesn’t know what Obi-Wan does, doesn’t know how much Obi-Wan actually knows. Obi-Wan realizes he has an advantage, however small it is. He decides not to speak to the Sith Lord, keeping his eyes on the wall away from him. There are no windows in the room, just durasteel walls and a single exit. There’s a small refresher off to the side of the bed and a closet on the other side, but there is no furnishings beyond the bed he is now almost positive is Anakin’s. The man’s familiar scent is all over the pillows. 

“Nothing good will come from ignoring me Obi-Wan. It wont make anything that happened between us better,” Obi-Wan’s eyes sharply cut over towards the man at the accusation in his tone and narrow into thin slits. Vader’s face is void of amusement, meaning he truly believes the absurdity that is coming out of his mouth. 

“Maybe… But maybe you’ll take a hint and leave me the _kark_ alone,” he hisses back, enjoying the way Anakin scowls at the words. 

_“Excuse me?”_ Vader has the nerve to sound incredulous and insulted, but Obi-Wan just stares back at him. Rage is simmering under Anakin’s skin from what Obi-Wan can see and the corners of his mouth lift into a small, victorious smile. 

“I said maybe you’d get the hint that me running and hiding from you did not mean I wanted you to come find me. I was happy without you, Vader, I never wanted to see you again,” he says deadpan, not wanting Vader to hear the way his heart was breaking just admitting these things out loud. Obi-Wan never wanted to hurt Anakin like this, but he can’t lie and he certainly cant stay here with a creature masquerading as the man he once loved more than anything else. 

“You don’t mean that, I know you don’t! The force sings around us, Obi-Wan you are meant for me! You _belong_ with _me!_ ” Vader shouts, moving closer to Obi-Wan on the bed. The younger man hastily moves to his feet and throws himself further into the corner of the room, staying opposite Anakin as long as he can. 

“I do though! You killed everyone! _Children!_ Force, Anakin, you almost killed me! Of course I ran from you! _How was I supposed to know you didn’t want me dead?_ ” Anakin”s eyes go wider at the use of his name, but they train on the chain around Obi-Wan’s neck that has just made itself visible. Obi-Wan feels his muscles stiffen, ready to leap for the exit, but Anakin beats him to it, launching across the room and trapping him against the wall. 

“What’s that under your shirt?” Vader asks gently, as if that is the most pressing issue at the moment. As if Obi-Wan didn’t just accuse Vader of almost murdering him. 

“Nothing,” he says, fighting off Vader’s roaming hands. Yellow eyes briefly come up to glare at him. 

“Stop moving and _let me see_ ,” Vader pins Obi-Wan’s arms above his head, holding his slim wrists in his mechanical hand. Obi-Wan thrashes roughly, moving and twisting even as Vader snakes his hand down his shirt. Cold fingers briefly touch his chest and Obi-Wan bucks forward, hips coming up to meet Anakin’s, forcing a gasp from his own lips. Anakin briefly smirks down at him victoriously, using his organic hand to lift the chain up and out of Obi-Wan’s shirt. 

“Anakin, stop. _Stop, please!_ ” He begs to deaf ears, Anakin keeping him trapped against the wall as his eyes widen on Obi-Wan’s necklace. 

“You kept it?” He asks Obi-Wan, sounding breathless and shocked. 

“I-I…” He trails off, unable to think of a single thing he should say, “of course I did.” It’s whispered, a confession torn from unwilling lips as a kiss is forced on them. Obi-Wan gapes in shock, unable to comprehend the situation as Anakin thrusts his tongue into Obi-Wan’s mouth, roaming around as if on a crusade. Obi-Wan’s instinct to bite down is swallowed, but he doesn’t move, doesn’t react, and most importantly doesn’t kiss back. 

Finally, Anakin realizes and pulls back, his eyes searching for Obi-Wan’s with a million questions. 

“How _dare_ you?” Obi-Wan finally asks after breathing in the silence and the freedom of his personal space. He rips his arms free from Anakin’s hold which has loosened during the kiss and rams both fists, still enclosed within each other, into his gut, sending the Sith Lord flying across the room. 

“How dare you do this to me? After _everything else_?” He cries, tears erupting from his eyes as he stares at his former master. He feels angry, he feels violated, and he feels alone. He doesn’t know what to do. The Sith Lord stands, yellow eyes narrowed with anger as he stalks forward. 

“How dare I? How dare you! You left me! Abandoned me! I needed you, Obi-Wan! Everything I did, everything I have done, all of it was for _you!_ Because I had to _save you!_ ” He says and he’s suddenly back in Obi-Wan’s space. The younger man resembles a caged animal, his eyes wide and afraid as Anakin advances on him. 

“You betrayed me and everything either of us had ever worked for!” Anakin smiles down at him now, becoming a bit feral as his eyes flicker from blue to yellow and back to blue. 

“Be careful what you say to me, my love, I can only be so patient with you since you ran away,” he whispers before diving in again and this time Obi-Wan strikes him over the head, moving around and out of the door, hoping Anakin is out cold. The corridors are long ahead of him, but he doesn’t even really have a chance to begin with because of course he didn’t knock Anakin out. Of course he didn’t.

Long arms circle around his waist and he slacks, hoping to drag Anakin to the floor where he might gain some semblance of an advantage, but it’s hopeless, his former master just holding him up easily. 

“Oh Obi, I wish you could see this is a good thing. You’re finally safe and back in my arms. Nothing can hurt you now,” Anakin says as he plunges the needle into Obi-Wan’s arm. Obi-Wan feels it course through his blood as he slumps forward further, collapsing on the ground.

“You’re psychotic,” Obi-Wan replies and Anakin cackles in response as the younger man loses consciousness. He knows deep down that Obi-Wan has wounded him, has brought up too much of what he’s spent so long burying down. He picks Obi-Wan up and returns him to their bed, hoping he is more agreeable when he wakes up the second time. He lays a kiss on his forehead.

“Soon all will be well, Obi, you’ll see. We’ll be a family again.”

 

 

**JAKKU, 3 YEARS POST MEETING**

 

“Where are we?” Obi-Wan trudges along sleepily, the sand shifting underneath his feet constantly. The city-raised boy has no love for the desert and he knows Anakin has even less love, so he wonders why the council loves to send them to these places so much. Maybe they have a sense of humor after all. Before they had left, Mace Windu had pulled him aside, wanting to give Obi-Wan a separate mission on the planet.

 

_“Master Windu, how can I help you?” Obi-Wan asks and Mace smiles at him, ruffling his ginger hair as he kneels to make sure they’re on a level where Obi-Wan won’t feel demeaned._

_“Obi-Wan, you need to know that the council assigned this mission to you, not to your master. You are a masterful negotiator for such a young boy and the council requires you pick up an old relic from an elder on planet,” Mace says, smiling a bit sadly. The council knows to send a young boy is dangerous, but Skywalker can’t be trusted with his volatile nature not to injure the elder and… And somehow young Kenobi has become one of, if not the best, negotiator in the order. Mace had to admit sending the boy was a good idea, even if he absolutely did not want him injured._

_“I understand, Master,” Obi-Wan nods, a proud little smile on his face. Mace holds back the instinct to shoot the emotion down, knowing that pride in one’s abilities is not always a bad thing, even in a Jedi Apprentice._

_“When you reach the sacred village of Tuanul, you must go to the hut of the Tekka elder. We need an artifact the church of the force believes will clear the force,” Obi-Wan nods, smiling at Master Windu before taking off, moving away back towards Anakin. He finally had a mission of his own!_

 

“We’re here to talk to the villagers about the Hutt clan interfering with their trade routes. Obi, you know this,” Anakin replies and Obi-Wan huffs at his unpleasant nickname, but follows Anakin into the small village of Tuanul, their third stop of the day. It was just supposed to be scavenging mission for Anakin, but Obi-Wan knew he had finally come upon the real destination. Anakin huffs in true Anakin fashion, annoyed by having to do such mundane work instead of fighting in battles. Obi-Wan smirks behind him, knowing Anakin is utterly miserable to be back on a desert planet doing things he considers beneath him. The villagers greet them with reverence like always, impressed and honored to have actual Jedi visiting them on their isolated planet. Anakin bends to a small child who looks up at him in wonder.

“Hello, Young One, will you take me to your lead elder?” The child smiles up at Obi-Wan’s master, taking him by the hand and tugging him away.

“I’ll meet you in a couple of minutes, Anakin! I’m just going to check something out,” he calls and Anakin nods over his shoulder in response. Next to Obi-Wan, a young woman is weaving a blanket and he kneels by her station. 

“Hello, Miss, would you by any chance know where I could find Elder Tekka?” The young woman smiles up at him, abandoning her post to open a curtain leading into a small hut. 

“Welcome, Padawan Kenobi, Elder Tekka has been expecting you,” she says as he steps through, revealing a large space. The hut was deceptively small from the outside to be this expansive on the inside, and Obi-Wan is lead down a hallway into a grand room. 

“Hello, Padawan Kenobi, I am Elder Tekka, and this is my grandson, Lor San,” the man in front of him says, and Obi-Wan looks to see a young boy sitting on a mat around the small fire in the center. The elder gestures to a free mat and Obi-Wan sits, looking around the room in awe. 

“Pleasure,” Obi-Wan dips his head in respect, “Can I ask how you knew that I was coming?” The elder smiles, a slow grin overcoming him. His grandson cracks an eye open, watching Obi-Wan carefully, but respectfully, not interrupting Obi-Wan’s mission or conversations. Obi-Wan smiles at the boy, nodding to him in respect as he did his grandfather. The boy’s eyes widen in surprise and wonder before he lets them slip close to resume his meditation. Obi-Wan turns back to the elder who smiles fondly at his boy.

“Padawan Kenobi, the force sings the most beautiful song around you and your master. Surely you have heard it?” Obi-Wan blinks in response, feeling out into the force for said song. The force feels the same way it has for as long as he can remember, and he supposes that he must have grown used to such a song if it does indeed exist. 

“It’s been mentioned to me before,” he leaves it at that and the elder laughs, reaching down next to him to grab the artifact, before standing. He walks to Obi-Wan, his movements slow and jerky with age. 

“Here, Padawan, I don’t wish to keep you from your other half much longer,” Elder Tekka says and places the artifact into Obi-Wan’s hands, starting to hum a tune as he hobbles away. The boy remains in his meditation and Obi-Wan bows respectfully, sliding the artifact into his robes. The humming echoes in his ears, a soft noise of warm undertones and melodic runs. Obi-Wan wonders what the song of he and Anakin sounds like, wonders if the hum is the song. He wonders if he’ll ever get to know why the force sings around the two of them and if he’ll ever get the answers he’s searching for. For now, he walks in the direction he saw Anakin go, the artifact he has retrieved for the council near his hip, and allows himself to simply wonder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahhh the singing force, always fucking up obi-wan's life. hope you all enjoyed the chapter, let me know what you thought in the comments. come stop by my tumblr and chat if you ever feel like it! [intergalacticfuckup](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/intergalacticfuckup%20)


	15. fifteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> and... we're back to ahsoka

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay dont hate me for this

**CORUSCANT, 8 YEARS POST MEETING, 3 YEARS POST ORDER 66**

 

“What are you doing here? Come to watch me rot in this cell you’ve put me in?” Ahsoka sits on the damp floor of her cell, one so similar to the very same one she was thrown in all those years ago before she left the Order. She’s leaning against the wall, her clothing choices even more unconventional than they were when she was a Jedi. He has her weapon in his possession and his former master has been strapped with a force-binding collar, rendering her weaponless. That’s only sixty percent honest, he knows she’s got one hell of a right-hook, so he stays near the edge, both of Obi-Wan’s sabers and his own clasped on his belt. 

“None of this would’ve been necessary if you hadn’t fought me upon my arrival. If you hadn’t hidden _him_ from me!” Ahsoka narrows her eyes and he knows that she will react. His former master and him are nothing like his ex-wife and apprentice, they don’t have a lid, they don’t know when a good time to stop occurs, they don’t know how to not be angry. They are not the logical types, they will not approach this with reason. They have hurt each other far too much. 

“ _You_ are at fault for him running away! Did you think he was so _helpless_ that he would run to you like a damsel in distress after his clones shot him down? Did you think he was so _ignorant_ or _hopeful_ that he wouldn’t know exactly what had occurred? He went to the _temple_ , Anakin! _He watched you kill children!_ He knew that you had in part been at fault for his attempted execution. He isn’t the starry eyed kid that you met on Christophsis, he’s an adult. Start thinking of him as one,” Ahsoka finishes, panting a bit from her tantrum. Anakin stares at her, his face void of any emotion, his eyes a bright fiery yellow. He stares at her for just a moment, pausing before his advance, and she swears she sees blue in his eyes but its gone before she can comment or believe. He approaches.

“You don’t know _anything_ about why Obi-Wan did what he did,” he hisses lowly in her ear, sending a shiver of fear up her spine. 

“I know that I’m the one he ran to when it counted, _Vader_.” He snarls, moving slightly away before glaring down at her. 

“You have a choice, My Old Master. You can join me and watch over your _boy,_ ” he spits the last word, letting Ahsoka know exactly how he feels about her attachment to Obi-Wan, “or you can die. You left me once, do not think of me as too weak to leave you here to actually rot.” Gone is the Anakin Skywalker of her youth, the boy who considered her one of the most important people in his life. He has lost himself, has lost almost everyone and the only thing he’s chosen to cling to is Obi-Wan. He’s chosen Obi-Wan because Obi-Wan always forgave him, understood him, and most importantly, _he always loved him._ Anakin just needs stability, always hanging on the edge of some metaphorical cliff, waiting for his savior to come and lift him back up. Obi-Wan was his stability, he was his rationality and if Ahsoka wants to help Obi-Wan, then she has to think like Obi-Wan and negotiate herself out of this shit situation. She takes a deep breath. 

“What would joining you mean?” Anakin tilts his head, the only indicator that he’s surprised by the decision to not die like a martyr. Ahsoka just stares up at him, still defenseless. 

“You would be my apprentice. You would be loyal to me and only me, Obi-Wan being the exception, and you would aid me in taking over the Empire when it’s time.” Ahsoka considers this, knowing she has missed Anakin during the time she’s been away. She would be able to save Obi-Wan from the wrath of Darth Vader and they would be a family again. They would be a family, the one they were supposed to be before the war and the ending of their lives. She closes her eyes tight, knowing that becoming Anakin’s apprentice means betraying her ideals, but it also means saving Obi-Wan and reuniting themselves as the strongest trio in the galaxy. Her family or her ideals… Did she ever even _have_ another choice? Anakin had played his cards expertly, he knew what she would choose. At least he gave her the benefit of thinking it wouldn’t have happened this quickly. 

“Will I have to be Sith?” She asks and Anakin’s victorious smirk grows wider on his face, revealing pearly white teeth. She flinches, moving backwards against the wall a bit. Her shark of a padawan leans closer in her face, mint wafting from his breath as he presses a kiss to her cheek. 

“It’s the only way, Ahsoka. The only way to keep him safe,” she nods and feels his smile grow against her skin. When he pulls back, the boy she raised is displaying a full set of teeth, proud of moving the pieces on the chess board to the exact position to reach this startling conclusion. 

“Okay,” she says and she feels the collar click loose from her neck, the force ramming into her. She gasps, hands grabbing at the damp earth once more before she stands brushing herself off. There's dirt under her fingernails as she glances down.

“Oh Snips, you have no idea of the life I have planned for the three of us. You, me, and Obi-Wan, together again,” he rambles, hauling her out of her cell. 

“Come on and I’ll show you around.” Ahsoka follows, determined to make the most of their situation, even if she knows he’ll make her lose her mind the way he has lost his own. 

 

 

**CORUSCANT, 8 YEARS POST MEETING, 3 YEARS POST ORDER 66, 4 MONTHS AFTER AHSOKA’S TURN**

 

“Obi-Wan,” Anakin greets as the boy eats breakfast. It’s just the two of them at the table, but Obi-Wan stays silent, closing in on himself and moving away from Anakin. His former master huffs, placing his elbows on the table and leaning into them petulantly. Obi-Wan scoffs under his breath, more than happy to continue ignoring Anakin in silence. After Anakin had kissed him in their shared room that fateful day, Obi-Wan had refused to speak to him. Anakin had wanted Ahsoka’s and his reunion to be epic, one where they could come together, but Obi-Wan has forced his hand. He would use her to get Obi-Wan to see reason. 

“Obi-Wan, I have a surprise for you,” he says and Obi-Wan’s eyes narrow. Anakin almost expects the sarcastic response that used to slip so easily from his tongue, but the boy stays quiet, the narrow eyes the only indication that anything has gone awry within his mind. The boy does not respond otherwise and Anakin sighs pushing up and going to open the door. Ahsoka steps through the door, yellow eyes meeting Obi-Wan’s as Anakin steps out, locking them in the quarters together. He knows Ahsoka knows what to do. 

_“No,”_ he breathes, taking in her appearance. It’s the first time he has spoken in months and the words crack through an unused throat. 

“Obi-Wan,” she sighs and moves towards her boy, but he moves away quickly, nearly throwing himself out of her path. 

“I’ve imagined you _dead_ , I’ve imagined you _trapped in a cell_ , but I never in my wildest dreams thought that _this_ was a possibility. That you would _join him!_ ” The words are raspy, Obi-Wan’s voice deeper than she remembers. She stalls movement, allowing him to steady himself. 

“It has to be this way. All Anakin and I want is peace, Obi-Wan. This is the _only way_ to be together and achieve peace,” her voice is that of a parent kindly scolding her young and the immature part of Obi-Wan rallies against it. He is not a child, they took his childhood away. This is the woman that had abandoned him to the mercies of her unstable child who is probably waiting outside the door at this very moment. 

“How could you do this?” He walks around the breakfast table in the all too plain kitchen and grabs Ahsoka by the arms. 

“For _you_ , of course,” she says blandly, as if it’s obvious. Obi-Wan scoffs, letting go of her and walking over to the wall on her left, letting his head fall against it with a thump. 

“I’ve heard that before,” he says resignedly, not picking his head back up. She can hear the hiccups in his breathing as he tries not to burst into tears. Ahsoka can feel Anakin slump against the door, trying to hear what’s going on in the quarters. 

“The dark side will _never_ care for you,” he whispers, “not the way I do.” As if he can bring her back to his side. The boy is nothing if not hopeful.

“It doesn’t have to- _I don’t care!_ The only thing I care about is you and the dark side loves you. _He_ loves you,” she says, moving closer and closer to him as she does. He pushes away from the wall to stare at her with tears running down his face. He never wanted this, never wanted to be so torn apart by the people he’s loved the most in his life. 

“He is lost,” he says and goes back to his chair, throwing himself down into it and resigning to the life of isolation within these blank silver walls. 

“That is true, but even his blackened heart is yours,” tearful grey eyes peer up at her, ready to denounce her statement, but she continues, “You must remain safe. I know you don’t believe it, but you will be with him… And with me.” Obi-Wan’s eyes slip close, them being the only part of his face visible, and he shifts to hide them in the crook of his elbow. He stays like that for several minutes and Ahsoka can feel Anakin getting anxious outside of the door. 

“It doesn’t have to be this way, Ahsoka. We can find another way,” he tries again, hoping his grandmaster will come back to him, will see that he still needs her. He’s _not ready_ to be on his own, she _cannot_ abandon him to the dark. 

“Obi-Wan, its time to let things be,” she whispers and he glares up at her from his place at the table. A tidal wave of rage unfamiliar to her rushes into the force and she knows that she has pushed her boy too far. 

“You’re a _traitor_ , Ahsoka. I should have known you would toss me to the wolves, it’s not as if you haven’t done it before,” he spits and the newly made Sith narrows her eyes. 

_“Everything I’ve done, I’ve done for you!”_ She moves roughly towards him, but he thrusts an arm forward. She finds herself rocketed across the room, hitting the wall with a sharp smack, leaving a swinging chandelier in her wake. 

“I am _sick_ of the way you and Anakin think you can do things for me and that makes them okay! It’s not okay! You are as guilty as he is!” Obi-Wan is standing suddenly, moving towards the bedroom in the back, but Ahsoka forcegrabs him as she stands, shoving him back in his chair. She stands above him, yellow eyes glaring. 

“Don’t say things you cant take back, Obi-Wan, you’ll regret it if you do,” she hisses and Obi-Wan grapples against her forcehold. 

“Oh, trust me when I tell you _I mean them._ I wish you were never in my life, either of you! Master Qui-Gon! _Master Qui-Gon, help!_ ” Anakin busts into the room and Ahsoka releases the boy in shock. Obi-Wan launches up, calling his lightsabers into his hands from where they hung on Anakin’s belt. He ignites them, stepping into a soresu stance with two lightsabers. Anakin and Ahsoka both look on in shock as Obi-Wan steps backwards, and then he does so again and again and again and _again_ until his back hits the wall. The purple and white blades engulf his face in light and tears stream down his face.

“We wont hurt you, Obi-Wan, just put them down,” Anakin says, his former master steaming with anger next to him. He had made the mistake of thinking Ahsoka was ready for the harsh words Obi-Wan would use on her. The boy does, turning them off and tossing them aside. Ahsoka smirks in victory as he slumps down the wall, placing his face in between his knees. 

_“Just leave,”_ he sobs out, not looking up at the two Siths in front of him, “just leave me the kark alone. You’ve done enough.” Anakin grabs the lightsabers and then Ahsoka, taking them from the room. Obi-Wan stays where he is, the only movement being the swinging chandelier Ahsoka had hit when Obi-Wan threw her. 

In the hallway, Anakin turns to look at Ahsoka who wipes a single tear from her eye.

“I can’t believe I almost fought him,” she whispers in agony and Anakin wraps his arms around her, soothing her pain. Ahsoka calms herself before a curious look takes over her features. 

“Anakin… Why did Obi-Wan call out for Master Jinn? He died years ago.” Anakin shakes his head and leads her away, not having any form of an answer to that question.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry? I know this may seem a bit rushed, but the time lines are very spaced out and these are only snapshots of Obi-Wan's life. I understand if you don't like how it's been written, but i appreciate your comments all the same! thank you for reading from the bottom of my heart and let me know what you thought of the chapter! come chat with me on tumblr: [ intergalacticfuckup ](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/intergalacticfuckup%20)


	16. sixteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> vader makes some progress and satine is back!

**CORUSCANT, 9 YEARS POST MEETING, 4 YEARS POST ORDER 66**

 

“Obi-Wan, I have been patient…” Vader scrubs a hand down his face as he looks at the twenty-three year old who sits in a meditative stance. It’s been just over a year since Obi-Wan was found on Tatooine and since the first time he and Ahsoka spoke, the boy has not uttered a word. It’s been months and Vader knows he talks to himself sometimes, can see his lips moving from the security holos, but the boy does not speak to him. He ignores Vader and Ahsoka and even Artoo sometimes. The droid stays around the boy the most, is probably the only one Obi-Wan talks to in the small home, but whenever he seems to think that Vader or Ahsoka is listening, Obi-Wan ignores the small droid, patting his dome instead. 

Blue eyes look up at Vader and the Sith can see the insults and scathing sarcasm in them that refuses to be verbalized. He wishes he found it endearing, but honestly, the boy was grating on his last nerve. Vader had given him plenty of time to adjust and his boy just would not give in. 

“You are on my last nerve, Obi. If you do not stop this foolishness I will be forced to-“ 

“Do what? Take everything from me and lock me in a cage? Kill the people I would die for? Tell me, Vader, what will you do- _what can you do_ -that you have not _already done_?” Vader staggers back at the confrontation, the sheer hatred and anger rolling from his boy. 

“I-I,” he starts but Obi-Wan holds up a hand to stop him. It had been months since Obi-Wan had spoken and Vader hadn’t expected their vocal reunion to be like this.

“I find myself tired of simply listening to you prattle on about how _lucky_ I am that you cared enough to spare me. You’re a liar and a coward, Vader. If you loved me you would have killed me,” he sneers, still sitting in his typical Jedi position. His eyes are narrowed as he stares up at Anakin defiantly. 

“ _Never_ , Obi-Wan. I never could have done that,” he promises, his voice shifting to become sincere. Obi-Wan audibly scoffs, his teeth sucking a bit as he rolls his eyes. 

“What you have done is so much worse. I truly have no feasible clue how you don’t see that what you have done to me is cruel!” Vader throws himself to Obi-Wan’s side on the ground, the big, round blue eyes of Anakin Skywalker staring up at the younger man in desperation. 

“Please, Obi-Wan, I just wanted to keep you safe! I never _meant_ to hurt you!” Vader shuffles until he can put his head into Obi-Wan’s lap and the boy stiffens, sucking air into his lungs quickly, body tensing underneath the added weight of Vader’s audacity and his head. 

“I-“ 

“Please,” he begs before he starts to sob into Obi-Wan’s lap. Obi-Wan freezes, the overwhelming urge in him being to soothe Anakin. To placate and assure him that everything will be okay. Obi-Wan knows he can’t do that, knows that he doesn’t want to, but the urge is enough to freeze him where he sits. It has been four years since Anakin betrayed him, almost as long as the amount of time where he was Anakin’s apprentice. It’s been nine long years since he arrived to a hostile Anakin on Christophsis.

_It would have been better for everyone if he had abandoned me then like he wanted to._

Obi-Wan sits stunned for a while, not willing to admit that this is the way his life is going now. Anakin is so sincere, his pain so raw and real… Obi-Wan can feel it in the force. Whatever he had done, he hadn’t meant to hurt Obi-Wan. 

_But I knew that… It doesn’t matter._

_Or does it?_

Anakin had done everything out of the false security Palpatine had tricked him into, had only done those horrible atrocities to protect Obi-Wan. Could he really fault him for trying? 

_No, but you can fault him for the senseless murder of innocents._

The voice in his head, the conscious that lives in there, is the only company he’s had in so long besides Qui-Gon’s occasional spiritual wisdom, is the only friend he’s had for a little under a year. Having Anakin so close is nice, it reminds him of the way life used to be. There was never any option in this, Obi-Wan knows, but he could keep denying Anakin this sense of partnership. Even as he thinks these things though, the bond between them starts to reform the way it always does when they interact. 

_He was only doing it to keep you safe… Go to him._

The voice of his only companion is betraying him. His own psyche. Obi-Wan sighs and Anakin shifts rubbing his face into Obi-Wan’s thigh. 

_Can you really turn traitor on yourself?_

Obi-Wan absentmindedly allows his fingers to run threw Anakin’s hair, unaware of the action. Blue eyes look up into Obi-Wan’s distracted face, the younger man having retreated into himself to the point where he isn’t completely aware of the room or greater distance around him. He had spent too much time on his own up there and was now fleeing to what feels like relative safety. Anakin doesn’t have boundaries or even any sense of morals anymore and Obi-Wan is speaking to him! Speaking is some sort of forgiveness right? He takes what he wants anyway. 

Leaning up from his spot on Obi-Wan’s lap, Anakin kisses the young man, quickly straddling his hips. Obi-Wan remains unresponsive before he begins to kiss back. His eyes are closed, his brain still off debating itself as Anakin kisses his way up Obi-Wan’s jaw. His hands are awkwardly still in Anakin’s hair and they reposition themselves as Obi-Wan finally realizes what’s happening. He’s shocked and not, but either way it shouldn’t be happening. 

_That doesn’t mean you can stop._

Obi-Wan groans, thrusting his hips up to meet Anakin’s in a way he hasn’t done since he was much younger on a much different person. His world feels like it’s falling apart around him as he responds. What else can he do? He’s been so alone… He kisses and kisses and _kisses._

He wonders what he can do with the power Vader has just willingly placed in his hands. 

Then he wonders when he became _cruel_ enough to think that way. 

 

 

**MANDALORE, 3 YEARS POST MEETING**

 

“Duchess,” Obi-Wan bows politely, Anakin stiffening at his side slightly. His Master turns to look at him briefly before the niece of the Duke of Mandalore erupts into giggles. So she’s _not_ the duchess… Anakin feels confused.

“Negotiator! I thought I’d never see you again!” Anakin stands still as the girl throws himself into his padawan’s arms. Obi-Wan’s face has split into a grin so wide Anakin isn’t sure he’s ever seen it before, but he decidedly takes a step back, allowing Obi-Wan his moment with the young regal. He doesn’t even know when Obi-Wan was on Mandalore before, but he figures it has something to do with Ahsoka who had always been close friends with the Duke. Obi-Wan sends him a pleading look, but Anakin sternly shakes his head. It might be hypocritical, but Anakin was older than Obi-Wan is when he and Padmé got together. Besides, Obi-Wan is striving to be the perfect Jedi, he should know attachments aren’t allowed. 

The boy looks away from Anakin sadly before looking back at the girl and smiling faintly. Obi-Wan sucks the sadness in and places it behind iron shields, something Anakin has never visibly seen him do before. It’s startlingly clear, as his padawan composes himself before the girl detaches, that he has had a lot of practice hiding things away, far more than Anakin ever thought. When he looks up at Anakin again, it’s a look full of accusation and betrayal, the young man looking away soon after. 

Anakin can feel shame from his padawan for feeling such things, especially towards Anakin, but Anakin knows all too well how it can feel to be kept from a girl you love. Obi-Wan is better than that though, he can over come the longing and want involved in young relationships, Anakin is absolutely sure of it. 

When Anakin looks away, Obi-Wan pecks Satine on the lips quickly, leaving her with the subtle promise of more later, and returns to attending his master on the mission. 

 

 

Pre Vizsla is a snake, that is the only thing Obi-Wan is absolutely sure of. Satine swears that the two of them are trusted friends, but Obi-Wan watches the disdain and hatred in Pre’s eyes when he looks at her and she isn't staring back and it scarily reminds him of the look Anakin takes on when he thinks of the trade federation. Satine is blissfully unaware, the woman’s keen intellect and insane sense of intuition seems to be failing her in this sense, her want for Pre as her friend willing to overlook the obvious signs of an impending betrayal. Obi-Wan decides it isn’t his place to say anything, but of course his need to protect the future ruler from harm wins out. 

“Satine, I-“

“Hands up, Jedi!” Pre stands there, black lightsaber raised to engage Obi-Wan. The padawan quickly has his weapon on ready, the bright blue blade protruding sharply and efficiently. The young girl makes a noise of protest behind him, but Obi-Wan has placed her behind him with one step, determined not to let her get hurt. 

“I don’t want to hurt you,” Obi-Wan says, still keeping Satine behind him. The girl squawks with indignation.

“You will not hurt each other! Either of you!” The pacifist throws herself in front of Obi-Wan and Pre smiles down at the shorter teen. 

“Go on, Jedi, will you disappoint your lover?” Obi-Wan hesitates, Satine looking at her once good friend in utter horror. He longs to reach out and hold her, but instead he once again puts the girl behind him, lightsaber raised to engage again. Satine shrieks, hand wrapping around Obi-Wan’s on the hilt to stall him. 

“Go on, _Negotiator_ ,” the other teen sneers, “brand yourself a coldblooded killer!” Obi-Wan’s blade is still raised in defense even as another blue beam of plasma erupts from Pre’s chest. Satine screams and rushes to Pre’s side, even as Obi-Wan stares up at Anakin in shock. The grown man’s face is dark as he obtains the black lightsaber, his master only nodding briefly to him and going to slouch against the wall, leaving Obi-Wan to comfort Satine and disobey his master or retreat and be followed by the man in the shadows. Obi-Wan makes a choice. 

“Satine,” he says, “Satine listen to me…” Satine looks up, her eyes shining with unshed tears and Obi-Wan just gathers her in his arms, soothing her back and gently moving lower to the floor. She glares over where Anakin must still be before firmly pressing her face into Obi-Wan’s shoulder and allowing herself to fall apart. She’s just a teen, isn’t a duchess yet if ever, and so she falls apart in her Negotiator’s arms. Anakin rolls his eyes, stepping closer to the pair before his padawan’s sharp eyes stop him. 

_Do not make me choose right now, Anakin_ , his eyes say. 

Anakin startles back before spinning on his heel and leaving the room. Obi-Wan stands up and carries her away, heading towards her quarters on the other end of the palace. She hiccups a bit, but the tears have stopped flowing so freely. 

“Obi-Wan,” she says and he looks down at her with wide eyes, afraid of her rejection, wary of her pain. She stares up at him before leaning up, meeting him for a kiss. It’s sloppy and inexperienced but full of all of the things they’ve never been able to tell each other. They know they will not be able to continue, know that their love was doomed from the start, but they take their moment, their epic white knight in shining armor saving his princess and allow themselves to feel it. But all things must end. 

She is not a princess and he is not a knight in shining armor and they have responsibilities they're far too young to have.

They take the night together and the next morning, Obi-Wan stands next to Anakin on the platform as they prepare to return to Coruscant. Satine doesn’t come to send him off and she doesn’t meet him to watch the sunrise earlier that morning like the last time they had said goodbye together. Obi-Wan struggles not to blame Anakin for his heartache, even as he knows that returning is his own choice. An arm looping around his shoulders startles him, but he follows his master’s lead, only once hopelessly gazing back wishing to catch just one brief glance more of Satine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> who said I wouldn't be able to write at all this week? (Hint: the answer is a healthy sleep schedule) thank you for reading and let me know what you thought of the chapter ! come check me out on tumblr : [intergalacticfuckup](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/intergalacticfuckup%20)


	17. seventeen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the rebellion and the sith lord

**CORUSCANT, 9 YEARS POST MEETING, 4 YEARS POST ORDER 66**

 

To say that Obi-Wan was having a good time would be a lie. A bold faced lie orchestrated to make sure that Anakin never reaches the conclusion that it is in fact a very good lie and Obi-Wan could not be any more miserable than he is right in that moment, Anakin’s arms around his waist as he watches Ahsoka face an awful trial of the soul below them. They stand in an observation deck as the woman below them goes through her trial. She’s strapped to a chair, wires sticking out of her as Anakin has placed her into an induced dream state. One meant to stimulate the fears and hate from her mind. Obi-Wan struggles not to flinch when she thrashes particularly harshly against the restraints.

Anakin is smiling, clearly impressed and happy with the pace at which Ahsoka’s training is progressing, but Obi-Wan frowns firmly, upset at the situation. The thing is though, Obi-Wan needs Ahsoka to stay in that subdued state, one where she cannot interfere with his plans. So here the younger man stands, standing beneath the chin of the man who he’s lying to, watching a woman he still somehow loves struggle while knowing that he can’t help her. Not now. He needs her to remain in her painful state. 

The day he had contacted Padmé months ago had been risky and the multiple times he had since were riskier, but he was hopeful they would pay off. The woman had weeped in joy when she had heard his voice, had cried tears of empathy as he told her what had happened to him, and whimpered sobs of sorrow when they discussed what needed to be done. The day had come where hopefully the freedom he had so missed would return to him. 

“Where have you gone?” A soft voice mumbling in his ear startles him out of his thoughts, bringing his attention back to the blue eyed man above him. Obi-Wan looks up at him with a small smile, his eyes hollow. Anakin doesn’t notice, doesn’t wonder why Obi-Wan looks so empty, why his soul and force signature hum of agony. Anakin has purposefully gone blind, so much so that he has lost sight of the important vitals of his boy. 

Obi-Wan hums, “Away,” he answers, leaning up to peck Anakin on the cheek. A deep, pleased rumble erupts from the man and Obi-Wan wonders when his former master became more beast than man, became the sort of creature that no one wishes to encounter out of fear for their own life. 

“When will you come back to me then?” There’s a playful lilt to his voice that Obi-Wan wants to react to, would have in another life, but today is not one of pleasantries and false emotion, it is one of the truth. Obi-Wan is away, going away, hopefully leaving forever. 

“I don’t know, when will you come back to me?” It’s a sly question and Vader recognizes it as such, the man pinching Obi-Wan’s rear a bit in displeasure. Obi-Wan jumps a bit, but doesn’t react any further to the taunts of the man he once loved more than anything else.

“I’m right here. I’ve always been right here,” he responds tersely and Obi-Wan keeps his eyes downcast, not trying to engage in another argument. The part of him that loves Anakin is railing against himself, begging him to stay, to submit the way he used to, but Obi-Wan is not a little boy anymore, he does not exist for Anakin’s whims. He is not a toy to be used and abused until Darth Vader gets tired of him too the way he did with Padmé and discards him in the most permanent way possible. Still, he can’t resist the call in his blood to respond to the obvious vicious taunt. 

“Are you now? Wouldn’t have guessed,” he mumbles, feeling ghosts of lingering fingers along his throat momentarily passing by as if they were just puffs of the artificial air conditioning he had grown so used to during his captivity. He longs for the summer breeze of Naboo or even the scorching heat of Tatooine, but durasteel and city skylines are all that ever greet him anymore as he looks out of the transparisteel. Anakin huffs in frustration, but turns his attention back on the progress of his student, content to ignore his lover who rests beneath his chin. Obi-Wan rolls his eyes, but is thankful for the reprieve, not willing to fight the man anymore than he already had. He exits the deck, wanting some time and space to himself. 

Again, his conscious rails against him as he wanders back to his room, but he squares himself against it. He has to do this. For the Jedi, for Mace, for Padmé, for _himself_ , he has to do this. Even if he shatters whatever part of his heart if left in the process. 

There is no one in the universe he loves more than Ahsoka and Anakin, no one who means more to him then the two of them. These are the people who ate an entire chocolate cake with him on his seventeenth birthday, who went through countless katas and meditations, who accompanied him on mission after mission. They were the happiest part of his life. 

Unfortunately, they were also part of the most unhappy part of his life as well.

He feels yellow in his skin, sees it when he closes his eyes. It is not the comforting yellow of Tatooine or the sunny yellow of the paintings on Naboo, or even the bright yellow of the Jedi Guards’ lightsabers. It is the yellow of cowardice, the yellow of sulfur, the very color that lingers in Anakin’s and Ahsoka’s eyes when they think he isn’t paying attention or they get irritated with his backtalk. Yellow has become an uncomfortable constant in his life, infecting the very air around him with it’s toxic fumes. Obi-Wan sees it everywhere, it is the color of his betrayal, the color of his hate… He cannot escape. Not even after he leaves Anakin. It is a truth, an unavoidable truth he can’t bare to face yet, so he lets his eyes slip closed. 

He has become cruel, willing to let others suffer so he may gain his freedom, even if the others in question have hurt him so deeply. He feels the yellow shame threaten to swallow him and leaves his place under Anakin, walking back towards their room. Today is the day he breaks the rest of his heart and he has convinced himself he is ready. That he’ll do anything to keep the yellow from reaching him permanently.

He sits on the bed, fumbling the chain around his neck that holds the snippet before removing it, leaving it on the pillow of the bed. Time is running low, of that he is absolutely sure. His lightsabers will be sacrificed as somethings must be, even if the pain of leaving the last part of Mace and the order behind send the worst kind of agony running threw him. 

A crash. 

Silence. 

The worst kind of screaming.

Obi-Wan is on his feet and back in the action sooner than he can process, his feet carrying him through the halls, leaping into battle with no weapon save for his own hands. He knows what this is, what he’s doing, but a black gloved hand catches him by the wrist, suspending him in thin air. He’s back near the observation deck, but Ahsoka isn’t in the chair below anymore. Obi-Wan looks up at his captor with tired eyes, knowing it’s Anakin, hating that he’s been caught. 

“Hands up, _Darth_ ,” the title is spit by the rebel- no- by _Rex_ , who stands in the doorway, his blaster up and aimed towards Anakin’s head. The sith in question snarls ugly, his face pulling back viciously. 

“Oh, I don’t think so, _Traitor_ ,” Anakin spits and Rex audibly scoffs. 

“I don’t think _he’s_ really the traitor here, Ani,” the high pitched voice of one Padmé Amidala cuts in and Obi-Wan is released, his body crashing to the floor with an oomf. 

_“Padmé,”_ Anakin gasps suddenly, as if he had forgotten about the woman, as if she had just reminded him of something important that he had misplaced. It wasn’t the one of a man who was seeing a wife who he had missed, just the pure, incredulous shock that it was occurring in the first place. Death radiated in the force around them, but the rebels paid no mind, securing their security masks into place and once again masking their identities. 

“Anakin,” she acknowledges drily, her blaster still aimed for his head. Anakin’s eyes swivel to the left and the right, taking in the people around him. Padmé and Rex have blasters aimed towards him and Obi-Wan scrambles to his feet, taking refuge behind the two. They look at Anakin with tired defeated eyes, not once willing to back down and give in, but also somehow unwilling to pull the trigger on the man who used to reside so close to their sides. He looks at them with a snarl, the obvious truth becoming that they were going to take his boy from him, _his_ Obi-Wan…

_“Stand down,”_ he hisses and Padmé just narrows her eyes. 

“As if I can allow this _child_ to stay in your care any longer,” she sneers, Anakin’s eyes only widening briefly in response. Ahsoka is hidden, her subjugation becoming more and more of a mistake as far as Anakin is concerned. She would help him keep Obi-Wan here, would help him get rid of Padmé and Rex. His traitorous ex-wife and ex-friend stare up at him, but he only has eyes for the boy behind them. He chooses to ignore the woman. 

“Obi… Come here,” he orders and watches the boy hesitate, whether to obey or to leave he doesn’t know, but regardless it gives him the very parcel of hope that he needed. He reaches out with the force, pushing Rex and Padmé away harshly. They collide with the durasteel walls, a sick crunch sounding off as it buckles beneath their weight. Anakin’s yellow eyes turn on his boy. 

In Obi-Wan’s hands is a lightsaber, a green one, one Anakin has never seen. 

_“Wha-“_ He starts, but its cut off, green raising above and slicing down to meet red. The sith shoves Obi-Wan away gently, moving into the opening form of Shien, determined to stop this fight as quickly as it started. Obi-Wan launches, formless and angry. Normally, Anakin would rejoice in the change of character, but now he just fights back, intending to do the least amount of harm possible. Obi-Wan’s face is twisted in terrible sorrow.

“Stop this foolishness!” He orders his boy again, but it seems this time he has simply been pushed too far. Obi-Wan’s eyes come open for just the briefest of seconds, but it’s enough to see the bright green they have become, swimming with unshed tears. They are the green of his grief, the strongest emotion he has felt in so long. He honestly believes he could end this between the two of them, believes he could possibly win and leave victorious. And the idea is breaking his heart, giving him an ache he no longer thought humanly possible. 

“You were my everything, Anakin! _I loved you!_ ” It’s an admission of guilt as much as a declaration of any form. The love has been spit towards the wind, casting itself in a sheen over their shared history, tainting even the purest of their memories shared. Anakin feels his own heart finally accept the truth that has lived there for far too long in the hidden dusty corners. Obi-Wan loved him. _Loved._ Not in the present tense. Obi-Wan was convinced he couldn’t love Anakin like this. 

_Not like this._

Not while he was a _monster._

Perhaps not ever again. 

He roars with the realization of his own fault, rages against the sobbing light still within him and scavenges for a source to snuff out the grief and the misery. It isn’t something he thought himself capable of and the part of him that still hailed Anakin Skywalker as it’s home shrieks with the knowledge of what Vader is about to do. There are no needles this time, no friendly easing, he rears his fist back and punches Obi-Wan as hard as he can, their lightsabers still at a standoff just beneath his hip. The boy collapses, Anakin scooping him up. 

_“Anakin,”_ Padmé rasps out with a desperate plea, but he waves his hand to put her to sleep and continues on his way. 

“You lost your right to an opinion when you left me,” he mutters, carrying Obi-Wan down the hall to where they will find a ship in the hangar to leave in. It’s time to switch homes, to one with much better security so he could keep Obi-Wan at his side. The green lightsaber falls from the now limp hand, rolling over to where Padmé lays unconscious and Anakin leaves it, leaves the last lingering pieces of his and Obi-Wan’s Jedi time behind them as he does. Padmé had left him behind years ago with no explanation, it was only fair that he return the favor. Besides, he already has everything he’s ever needed in his arms.

The force sings a song of sorrow as Anakin takes Obi-Wan and Ahsoka out of the atmosphere of Coruscant. Qui-Gon Jinn looks on in agony.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well... obi-wan tried to do the right thing here guys, vader just severely is not ready to let go yet. NO TIME SHIFTS??? She must have lost her mind! (I did.) thank you for reading and commenting, come by my tumblr and chat if you feel like it! 
> 
>  
> 
> [intergalacticfuckup](https://intergalacticfuckup.tumblr.com)


	18. eighteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> as we near the end, goodbyes must be said and things must be handled.

**MANDALORE, 4 YEARS POST MEETING, 1 STANDARD YEAR PRE ORDER 66**

 

Obi-Wan had always hoped to see Satine again, even if the last time they met had ended in the strongest heartache he had ever felt. The girl had crawled into his heart and it screamed for her, to help her, to protect her, to follow her lead. 

Obi-Wan _loves her._

The complicated love adults share, not the foolish idealistic crusade of the youth. He wanted to tear into her even as his very heart would die if he did. He loved her enough to let her go, no matter what it meant for him. So he _did_. He said goodbye to the one person who had set his heart aflame in ways Jedi almost never get to experience. Her heart had been the strongest he had ever seen, always fighting valiantly for people. So that they may continue and flourish. She was tough, but her love was never ending. She had been the definition of empathy. She had been a _gift._

She had been taken from him and her people far too soon.

The girl’s body lays in his arms as Ventress laughs above him. He feels anger pooling in the bottom of his stomach and opens his shields, releasing his pain into the open force for all to feel. He is too young to consider the consequences that will face him on Coruscant when he returns and at the moment he doesn't kriffing care. 

It isn’t _fair._

Ventress had wanted Obi-Wan, not Satine, that much had been ridiculously obvious. The woman had baited him here with a siren call of blood and the endangerment of his heart, his Satine. Ventress had laughed at his pleas for her safety, but Satine had shushed him. Had told him it was okay, that it was an honorable way to die. 

He can’t see her face through his tears, try as he might to shed them so he may, they continue to fuel themselves. Her blonde hair drapes over the knee of the red armor he had stolen from Ventress’s soldiers. 

“ _Satine_ , Satine, _I love you!_ ” Obi-Wan is whispering to the corpse of his heart, of the only person who had promised him a life away from the pressures of the Jedi. 

He had borrowed a ship from Anakin, had asked the man to trust him, but he feels his Master banging on the blocked end of their bond. Anakin can feel his pain, he is amplifying it to the galaxy as he weeps over her dead body. 

Ventress leaves at some point, ordering the soldiers to take him away when he stops sobbing so heavily. 

“And when you do, burn the girl. She is of no further use to me,” Ventress says, sweeping out of the room gracefully as Obi-Wan falls apart behind her. The guard say nothing and they never get a chance to, Obi-Wan is on his feet, a blaster bolt to each of the guards chest from the very blaster that had been in Satine’s pocket. His heart fills with fondness that snuggles in next to the grief as he lifts her and brings her to the very spot they had their first kiss at the back of the palace. 

He doesn’t have much time, but he doesn’t care if Ventress comes back for him. At this point, he’d welcome the excuse to chop the woman’s head off. 

The spot is as beautiful at dusk as it had been at dawn all those years ago and when Obi-Wan allows her body to lay on the ledge for Korkie to find, he finally allows a tear to fall. 

“I’m sorry I couldn’t save you, Satine, Im so _sorry._ ” He leaves with his head down, tears trailing down his cheeks and vows to lead the witch, Ventress, away from Mandalore. She will never return if he has anything to say about it. 

 

 

**OPEN SPACE, 9 YEARS POST MEETING, 4 YEARS POST ORDER 66**

Obi-Wan groans, “Where am I?” He hears a tsking noise before fingers he would recognize anywhere, even in the force, tangle themselves in his hair thats become way too long. He groans again, willing his eyes not to open even as he knows it will frustrate his captor. 

“Obi-Wan,” the fingers tighten.

“Okay, _okay_ , I’m up! What do you want, Anakin?” He hears a hitch in the other man’s breath as the last haze of sleep leaves him. The fingers brush something painful on his face and he hisses, finally opening his eyes. 

Yellow looms blurry in his view, the other man’s eyes leaning in close to view the split bruise on his boy’s face. His fingers once again graze the wound, Obi-Wan flinching more heavily in response. 

Memories begin to piece themselves together. Utapau, Greivous, Order … _66_ , the destroyed Temple, Anakin, the Sith, Ahsoka… Durasteel walls and transparisteel revealing the same cityline day after day, being _punched._

He breathes in suddenly, scooting back further and further from his previous position beneath his former master’s touch to against the wall. 

“Y- _You…_ You _hit_ me!” He shouts, not knowing what else to say that would make anything better. He’s disoriented enough to not feel anything but fear, the grey of his eyes startling Anakin in a way he hasn’t been yet. He wonders for a brief second how hard Anakin must have hit him in the first place to cause such a rattle internally before the thought flies away, unable to find purchase within his mind. 

To Anakin, all he sees and can feel in the force is fear from his boy, a feeling he hasn’t gotten from the younger man since the early years of his apprenticeship. It’s odd to him now, after so long of just the barest hint of annoyance radiating from Obi-Wan, his shields are bare and down at their lowest level and his mind is full of pain. So much pain. 

He reaches out again and flinches similarly when Obi-Wan does, the former master becoming a mirror for his former apprentice. Hopefully apprentice again soon. 

“I did,” he admits, shame coloring his cheeks, but Obi-Wan doesn’t look towards him, tucking his face between his knees and ignoring any further attempts at conversation. There is too much for him to think on and he needs to put his shields up again before any further contact. 

Anakin looks at him once more before scrambling off of the bed and into the cockpit where Ahsoka sits waiting for him at the pilot’s seat. 

“How is he?” She asks and Anakin shrugs in response. 

“…How are _you_?” She asks again and Anakin slowly turns to look at her. For a moment, he sees his apprenticeship clearly in front of him as if he is twenty years in the past, a young nine year old boy staring up at a woman so much older than him and yet so _young…_ He flinches again, rubbing his eyes. 

“Yeah Snips, I’m all good,” he says and she looks sadly at him. 

“Anakin, what you did… You did the _right_ thing,” she assures him and he knows that she means the thing he did before he left Coruscant, the thing that is probably causing his lapse in judgement, but it feels as if a part of the darkness in him has evaporated, leaving behind only the husk of a man in pure, undiluted agony. He brushes her hand off, allowing the pain to settle and fuel his power the way Sidious taught him to.

Yes, he has done horrible things. Things that made Padmé leave him, that made Rex betray him, that made Ahsoka hide from him, that made Obi-Wan, the boy no longer who had always loved and forgiven him run from him…

But he was Emperor now and he had to face that he wouldn’t be if he had remained the perfect Jedi. His power would never have been realized and he would have lived and died a Jedi or a lousy husband, always looking over his shoulder at his apprentice who at some point he had fallen in love with. No, his destiny was exactly where he was, being Emperor Skywalker and Darth Vader all in one. 

He breathes. Just breathes. The conflicts within him slip back into their confines and he turns to look at Ahsoka who still has an apprehensive look on her face.

“I know, Ahsoka, but thank you for saying it regardless,” she smiles and it almost looks like one of the ones she used to give him before everything went into the sarlacc pit. He hesitantly smiles back, confident in a way he hasn’t been in years and steers the ship back into position, readying for the reentry into hyperspace. 

“Are you ready, Grand Moff Tano?” She winces even as she laughs at his attempt at a joke, at resuming the way their life used to be. It almost works though and with a self-assured smirk, he aims the ship for his castle on Mustafar and launches, ready to make things the way he wants them to be. 

 

 

 **CORUSCANT, 9 YEARS POST MEETING, 4 YEARS POST ORDER 66, 1 HOUR PRIOR TO THE DEPARTURE**

 

“Master,” Vader greets, the Dark Lord of the Sith sneering down at his apprentice. 

“What have you brought to me, Lord Vader? You were not summoned,” the man snarls and Vader bows his head respectively. The Dark Lord tilts his head a bit to the right, yellow eyes following every twitch his apprentice makes. It’s at this point that he moves aside, revealing the unconscious form of one Obi-Wan Kenobi.

“Why, Lord Vader, you’ve finally given up on the boy and brought him to me?” Vader resists the urge to growl possessively as the Emperor stands and descends the stairs from the throne to the floor to stand over Obi-Wan’s body. Vader, the good apprentice that he is, swallows and kneels in front of his master, bowing his head. He can feel the sulfuric yellow eyes staring down at him and for the first time in a long time, he feels the uneasiness of a boy who would sit under Palpatine’s gaze and feel the urge to share his deepest darkest secrets. The gaze told Vader that he already knew of his treachery, of why he was in the room in the first place. 

But Vader is no boy and he knows that Palpatine has no way of telling what is going on inside of his mind. 

Vader is no longer the boy who will allow this man to rob him of the things that make him happy and that’s what Obi-Wan does.

He gives him _hope._

Vader won’t let Palpatine take the hope he has for a better life again, he had already done it to Anakin Skywalker once. 

“Lord Vader, I asked you a question,” the Emperor rumbles out lowly and Vader keeps his head down in a sign of submission. He needs Palpatine to believe he is the perfect apprentice. He needs him to trust if not in him, in his inability to betray the man he once saw as his friend. 

He should know better, Darth Vader had betrayed the greatest friend he ever had when he came into existence. Palpatine would never hold a candle to Obi-Wan’s flame. He could easily betray the man in front of him and not feel an ounce of guilt. 

“Yes, my Master, I realize now that the boy will never join us,” he says, feeling each word wound his heart further. The boy looks so much younger unconscious than he ever did when he was actively defying Vader and his darkest desires. He looks young in a way he hasn’t since Vader himself was much younger, since the boy would scrunch up his nose when Anakin tugged on his padawan braid and laugh, gently removing his master’s hand with a: “no, Anakin, that hurts!”

Vader’s heart will break if he fails. He will break if Obi-Wan dies at the hands of Sidious. 

“I told you so a very long time ago, did I not?” Sidious mocks and Vader feels shame cover his cheeks. It’s voluntary, the man has become very good at faking around his Master. 

“You did, My Master, please forgive me for clinging to the boy much longer than I should have,” he pleads, his head still looking at the ground as he feels for the blaster in his boot with his left hand. Sidious bends down to examine Obi-Wan more thoroughly, his attention becoming wrapped up in the boy’s physical state. 

“He was a weakness you will be glad to be rid of, My Apprentice,” Sidious sneers, his ugly face deforming itself even further. Vader feels the heart in side of him pulse faster as Sidious raises his hand, violent streaks of blue lightning appearing from it heading straight for Obi-Wan. The boy twitches once, face contorting in agony before Anakin is off of his knee. 

_Red really is Palpatine’s color_ , Anakin thinks as the blood red blade of his lightsaber protrudes from his chest, the yellow from the man’s eyes fading as he hisses a breath in. 

“You _fool_ ,” he snarls viciously and Anakin just laughs in his face, glad to finally be rid of the man who has manipulated him so far past redemption. 

“Don’t act like this is foolish,” he laughs, “this is the smartest thing I’ve ever done.” Palpatine’s eyes shut and he slumps on the blade before Anakin turns it off, allowing the body to fall to the ground. The Red Guard slowly bend to one knee in front of him as a manic smile overcomes Anakin’s face. 

_“Yes,”_ he hisses in pleasure, _“kneel for your Emperor.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter! 
> 
> Technically, when I started this fic I only planned out 20 chapters and so the original ending would be there, but i had this idea that wouldn't leave me and so... there will be a 5 part epilogue. I know that doesn't make a ton of sense and they can be looked at as 5 extra chapters, but they will be referred to that way in order for me to stay true to how i originally wanted this to end. I hope you all are okay with that.
> 
> As always, thank you so much for your support and let me know what you thought of chapter 18!


	19. nineteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> we're only one away from the end...

**MUSTAFAR, 9 YEARS POST MEETING, 4 YEARS POST ORDER 66**

 

Obi-Wan would like to stop being knocked out, but it seems to be his lot in life. Now, he sits in an oversized, well furnished bed. Satin sheets, memory-foam pillows, and the softest comforter he’s ever felt. _Kriff_ Anakin for that, honestly. His vision is clearing up, giving him hope that the probability of having a head injury is going down. Across the room is a small mirror and vanity, in which he can see the bruise that blooms across his cheek spreading over his nose and down towards his lip. When he was transported off the ship and into the lavish quarters, Anakin had used drugs like his usual sensible self, but the punch had also worked quite effectively. 

If he wanted Obi-Wan to look like he’d fallen off a speeder and landed on his face. 

Then he would be _very_ effective.

He is not unconscious anymore, but he knows its just a matter of time. He swings his legs over and off of the bed, standing up and walking to the door. It’s open, revealing a long corridor. The walls on either side are transparisteel and the lava on the outside explodes and flows, the red and orange contrasting with the ashy grey of the sky. It must be near morning, but he has no way of knowing, he doesn’t even know were he is. All he knows is that it’s ridiculous.

A _lava planet_. 

That’s _so_ Anakin. 

He continues on his way, looking out on the horizon as he goes. The most disappointing part of the new location is it looks rather uncivilized. No where to go if he ever manages to break out of this building. Eventually, he reaches a big room, where two members of the 501st grab each of his arms and lead him to a chair. 

“Not again,” he sighs, letting himself sag as they tie his limbs to the chair. 

“Sorry, Commander,” the man says and Obi-Wan flinches, sitting in the chair as comfortably as possible as the two tie him up. He knows if he took a closer look he could identify them, but he knows that would only serve to make him sadder than he already is. He keeps his eyes forward, not willing to face his judge, jury, and executioner. He had betrayed Anakin, something he had never done prior to contacting Padmé. Now, no matter what Anakin’s feelings are, he more than likely will punish Obi-Wan for trying to leave him. 

At twenty-three years old, the main things Obi-Wan spends his time doing are worrying and staring at a wall. He almost hopes Anakin ends his life quickly instead of dragging it out the way he has his captivity. All Obi-Wan wants is freedom. 

And now he’s _tied_ to a kriffing _chair._

“Dismissed,” comes the voice of Anakin, who strolls in wearing not his usual black robes, but an extravagant deep red one, the color that might match his lightsaber. The two 501st soldiers salute on their way out as Anakin approaches him. Ahsoka enters just after the soldiers exit, her new all grey uniform throwing Obi-Wan off. He looks at them in turn before letting his eyes slip shut. He doesn’t want to think about what this means. 

The lava rains down outside and it’s somehow managing to match the deep red of Anakin’s robes. The robes of the man who burned down the galaxy. The man who Obi-Wan knew to be Emperor from the look of him. 

“Obi-Wan,” he greets and Obi-Wan opens his eyes just a sliver, not wanting to play any more of their game of back and forth. He doesn’t speak, the ache in his face getting harsher as he maintains the scrunched expression. He won’t give Anakin the satisfaction of seeing the fear of death play out over Obi-Wan’s face. 

“So, are you finally gonna put me out of my misery?” He asks and Anakin flinches, his gold eyes looking away at the horizon before returning to him. 

“No, of course not,” he says, as if the idea is crazy, as if Obi-Wan is still missing something. It’s been over a year since the original kidnapping and Obi-Wan has spent it in various states. Silent, angry, loud, silent again, hurt. He doesn’t know why Anakin doesn’t just stop keeping him around. 

“Obi-Wan, you misunderstand. I wan’t you to _join_ me, that’s all I’ve ever wanted.” Obi-Wan flinches and Ahsoka comes forward to stand next to him, the two of them sharing a look before they fully give him their attention. 

“Please Obi-Wan, consider it. There is nothing holding you away anymore. The Jedi are long dead, Ahsoka has joined me, and Palpatine can no longer rule over the galaxy. We can _change_ things! Make things the way _we want_ them to be!” His eyes are wide with passion, something that only sends fear shivering down his spine. He wants _so badly_ to believe Anakin, but it just isn’t possible. The darkness holds nothing but pain, has done nothing but steal from him and maim his soul, keeping him in constant agony. 

“Obi-Wan, we’re here for you,” Ahsoka joins in, her eyes a startling familiar blue, “we _love_ you.” At this point he wishes he could cover his ears and scream as loud as it takes to drown out the lies. 

But he’s been alone for so _long._

And _nobody_ is coming to save him.

“Just think, Obi-Wan, we could be together again. We have the galaxy at our fingertips. Join us, and we’ll be the family we once were again.” The smile Anakin gives him is warm, but his eyes are still yellow and yellow means that this isn’t coming from a place of love, but of one still thirsting for power. 

In the end, Obi-Wan never had a choice. 

At least he held out this long.

“Okay,” he says and the gold Anakin’s eyes shine makes bile rise in his stomach. 

The red versions of his and Mace’s lightsabers that Anakin gifts him send it into his mouth. He swallows it down and forces a small smile on his face as he allows their darkness to envelop him. 

 

 

**MUSTAFAR, 10 YEARS POST MEETING, 5 YEARS POST ORDER 66**

 

It’s just months later that Obi-Wan stands in the room he and Anakin share staring out at the horizon. His red blade- the one Anakin modeled to look after Mace Windu’s -hangs by his side as he does, the color of it matching the harsh terrain of Mustafar. He has quickly become trusted amongst the trio, Anakin and Ahsoka accepting him back under their wings as if he had never left. 

As if they hadn’t tortured him because he didn’t want to stay with them. 

He has become the Emperor’s Consort, the official romantic partner of the man, and although the idea makes him want to use the immobile blade at his side, he doesn’t. The second blade hangs on the belt of his black robes, but the one at his hip blazes on strong, a reflection of his own soul. Around him are flames, and he doesn’t just mean the ones outside of the transparisteel. The flames coming from their bed bring intimate heat to his flesh and it reminds him of the many nights he has spent here. 

Anakin and Ahsoka have spent his whole time with them underestimating him, underestimating his strength and ability to lie. But the Emperor has left him here to go overlook some new project and he took Ahsoka with him, saying it was of upmost importance to the success of whatever it is he is planning. It’s not Obi-Wan’s problem. 

The thing about the Sith is that they are emotional and that emotion tends to lead them towards passion. 

He is _not_ a Sith. 

He is a _Jedi._

And he knows that some truths depend greatly on point of view. 

He wonders how Anakin will twist Obi-Wan burning their home and leaving into something that will allow him to try to drag Obi-Wan back home instead of trying to kill him. 

_Point of view. What a dangerous concept. How terribly it can twist any single reality._

He walks out of the bedroom and into the long corridor, walking towards Anakin’s study which will be his last stop. By now, the guards that he locked in a ship whose coordinates sent them in to wild space will be waking up and contacting Anakin or Ahsoka. Flames are engulfing everything around him, but he uses the force to keep the air around him clear. He wants to see this as long as he can, the final strike against the man he used to love. 

The matter of where he will go has never been a question. The force and Qui-Gon have been preparing him for this since Order 66 occurred all of those years ago. The truth is, he wonders still if he should just walk away from what the force asks of him. It’s not like he hasn’t paid his life debt to it time and time again while suffering the wrath of it’s chosen one.

His comlink beeps.

“Hello?” He answers even as he knows who it will be. 

_“Obi-Wan, whatever it is that you’ve done, stop now and everything will be okay,”_ Anakin begs, his voice up an octave from his normal menacing pitch. Obi-Wan laughs, long and proud, unafraid of Anakin while he resides halfway across the galaxy working on his Empire. 

“Goodbye, Anakin,” he responds, hearing the intake of breath on the other end. Obi-Wan smiles as the man begins to panic, the careful control he’s wielded over Obi-Wan crumbling to pieces around him as the building does so around Obi-Wan. He’s still not in a rush. 

_“Obi, wai-“_ He hangs up, entering the office. The vault in the corner is easy to bust into, just careful feeling of the force to feel where the lock clicks in and out of place. It does so, the large durasteel door swinging open to reveal three sabers, a couple of holocrons, and the snippet he had left on the pillow before Padmé’s rescue attempt. He picks it up delicately, wrapping it around his neck and clamping it in place to remind himself of all that he has lost, of all that he has loved. Because even now, despite it all, despite the fact that Anakin had become everything Obi-Wan had vowed to destroy, he still loved him. 

No matter what happens, Obi-Wan has to face that singular truth. 

He has _loved_ Anakin Skywalker with his whole being.

And he will _miss_ him for as long as he lives. 

The blades that reside in the vault are his and… And _Anakin’s._

The breath Obi-Wan had unknowingly been holding releases with sudden surprise. In the vault, there with the other things Anakin can’t make himself get rid of from their former lives, is his old Jedi blade. The very blue blade that Obi-Wan grew up fighting besides. He lifts his and Mace’s and clips them to his belt, leaving the red ones behind. Whatever is left of this place when it finishes burning, he wants Anakin to know this is permanent. 

“Im sorry, Master,” he whispers to Anakin’s old blade in his hand, “but I’m not coming back.” His kisses the hilt of the saber before clipping it to his robes and making his way from the room. 

“You have done well,” a phantom voice says and Obi-Wan ignores Qui-Gon for now, taking the comlink and dropping it behind him as he approaches the hangar. The truth is that regret is swallowing him whole. Regret for not doing this sooner, for not realizing that his inability to betray Anakin was what held him back from freedom. Regret that the time he has spent here has been robbed from him, that he will not get it back. Regret that he will hopefully never see Anakin again, even as a part of him wants to go back to bed and remain under the Emperor’s thumb. 

In front of him is a ship, his ticket to freedom. He boards it, not looking back at the damage behind him and lets a genuine smile spread it’s way across his cheeks for the first time in what feels like an eternity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> woo! Obi-Wan has finally escaped the golden cage! 
> 
> As we get closer and closer to the end of this much beloved work of mine, i thank everyone who has taken this journey with me from the bottom of the heart. your support is what made writing this possible! 
> 
> I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter, please let me know what you thought in the comments!
> 
> come chat with me on tumblr:  
> [intergalacticfuckup](https://intergalacticfuckup.tumblr.com)


	20. twenty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the end before the epilogue.

**OPEN SPACE, 10 YEARS POST MEETING, 5 YEARS POST ORDER 66**

 

The force around him is still heavy with darkness, but it becomes lighter and lighter the further away he gets from Mustafar. He knows that Anakin is rushing back to the planet, will try to see what Obi-Wan left in his wake before sitting himself on Coruscant and ordering the whole of the Imperial Navy after him for his treason. He will more than likely order that Obi-Wan not be killed. He will probably order that Obi-Wan be captured while whoever or whatever kept Obi-Wan from him be burnt down from sole to crown. He will more than likely send Ahsoka and a specialized fleet to track him down. 

He doesn’t know exactly _how_ Anakin will do it, but he _will._ He will look for Obi-Wan again. 

So where does a Jedi Knight, Emperor Consort, and most recently Treasonous Criminal hide from the most powerful person in the galaxy?

Does he hide and waste his time or does he find a way to go out fighting what Anakin has become? What he’s done to the galaxy?

Does he try to start over? Find Master Yoda and rebuild the order from the ground up? 

Does he take his well deserved break on a nice planet like Naboo where he can blend in plain sight and still live in a nice climate?

For someone who hasn’t had a say in his own actions in around two years- not one like he had thought, but _two_ \- in captivity being worn down to the worst version of himself, he doesn’t have a plan beyond finding his way onto a ship and away from the fiery horizon of Mustafar. 

So, thats a big checkmark on his list of things to do after finding his way to freedom. Other than that though, he has no plans, no idea of how to lead his life from this point. 

For the first time in a long time, he decides to do what Ahsoka spent so much time teaching him long ago. He settles down in the cockpit of the ship, happy to let it continue on its hyperspace journey to Tatooine, the first place he had thought of, and begins to meditate. 

The force hums quietly around him, the song of he and Anakin being silenced for the first time in so long that Obi-Wan can remember. It’s peaceful, the silence that envelops him in the ship, allowing him to see the force for what it really is. 

It’s peaceful until a familiar presence returns to his awareness. 

“Obi-Wan,” Qui-Gon says, appearing before him in his strange blue mist as if he were a holopic in real time. Obi-Wan opens his eyes, ending his meditation prematurely to converse with his odd companion from over the years. A holoflic. _Force_ , he's tired.

“Hello, Master Jinn,” he says and the man smiles down at him. A friendly gesture, even as it is laced with pity and regret. Obi-Wan reigns in the urge to yell at him for feeling such things. For daring to pity Obi-Wan for the things he has been through when the man offered no assistance, no knowledge, no olive branch to keep him within light. He has this brief line of thinking before he forcibly calms himself down. 

“I’m sorry you’re upset with me, Obi-Wan. Truly, I am, but things had to be this way. He has to return to the light and you are the only way we can accomplish that.” The man’s eyes are kind, they are the kind of compassionate Obi-Wan hasn’t seen in five years, hasn’t seen since he departed for Utapau after the council told him they believed in him. 

After _Mace Windu_ told him he believed in him. 

Thats the kind of compassion he sees in Qui-Gon Jinn and suddenly, his anger is gone. The man gave him a mission worthy of a Jedi and as a Jedi, Obi-Wa had failed. He would not bring Anakin back to the light, he _couldn’t._ Two years had not been enough, his _love_ hadn’t been enough in the first place. He wishes he could be the man Qui-Gon obviously thinks he is, but he’s selfish enough to know that interacting with Anakin ever again in any form is not going to happen willingly. 

Maybe Anakin was the wrong Jedi Master for him, after all. He clearly hadn’t taught Obi-Wan how to be selfless. 

“He won’t come back, Master Jinn, and I’m not going back to his side when there is a rebellion who needs my help,” he says and it isn’t with his usual sass, it’s just matter of fact. He won’t go back and no guilt trip will force him to. 

“Obi-Wan, I think you misunderstand. Anakin is the Chosen One of the force. He is to bring _unity_ and _balance_ to it, not leave it in darkness-“ Obi-Wan holds up a hand, silencing the ghost of the past. 

“What I understand is that Anakin is _lost!_ He has become the _Emperor!_ The very thing that he swore to destroy all those years ago!” He begins pacing the few feet within the cockpit. Qui-Gon’s eyes are still kind, even if they’re a little frustrated. 

“Obi-Wan-“

“Stop! Just-just _stop_ , please. I understand that he is _supposed_ to be good, but he _isn’t_ and he’s broken my heart more times than even I can count. He isn’t a savior and he isn’t some _grand hero of prophecy!_ He’s a _monster!_ ” Qui-Gon shakes his head sadly, the pity becoming more pronounced. 

“I should have taken you as my padawan, Obi-Wan, I should have told Yoda that saving a man like Anakin was no job for an initiate. You were given this task with no direction or knowledge, just the hope and the nudge from the force. I’m hope you can forgive an old man his mistakes,” the ghost says and Obi-Wan shakes his head. Even the idea is upsetting. No matter what, Anakin was his Jedi Master, he won’t let this man take even his happiest memories from him. 

“Please, stop, Master Jinn. I appreciate this attempt at making amends, but you and I have no issue. The things are as they are though, I will not return to the man who imprisoned me and tore me into shreds,” he says and is done. He will not argue with a dead man over issues of the living. The man comes near him, laying a ghostly hand on his shoulder.

“Obi-Wan, you are a remarkable Jedi, I’m sorry I have made you doubt that today. You see, I can’t stand watching you walk back into the arms of that man again either and so…” Obi-Wan perks up, wide eyes looking at Master Jinn in awe. He’s trailed off and Obi-Wan is jumping to know what it is the man has planned. What secrets to the universe does a dead man know that could save them all? Does such a thing even exist?

“So I have asked the force if you are the only one who can save the Chosen One,” he says and a grim look comes over his face, “and you are. You are the only hope for saving Anakin because you have to train the person who will.” Obi-Wan’s eyes are wide in disbelief. 

“Train? Like a Jedi _Master?”_ Qui-Gon cracks a grin again. At almost twenty-four, the boy in front of him should still be a padawan and now he is all alone, weighted down by the mass of the galaxy. And yet he still remains good, pure and _innocent_ down in his core. His eyes are twinkling and Qui-Gon wishes he were still alive so he could ruffle the ginger hair on top of the boy’s head. 

“There is a young boy, one who is as strong in the force as his father. The boy is in a delicate position, but the force says he can bring the balance back, can save his father.” Obi-Wan gasps, A young boy who can save his father? 

_Anakin had a son?_

“How-?” He starts to ask but is interrupted.

“On the planet Yavin IV, two young children by the names of Luke and Leia Skywalker are being raised in the midst of a rebellion. They are our new hopes,” he says and suddenly, Obi-Wan feels things begin to click into place. He can’t return to Anakin, can’t contribute to the crimes he is inflicting on the galaxy, but he can stay true to the love he feels by helping his children. He will train Luke and Leia and he will help them take back the galaxy their father stole. 

Obi-Wan moves to the console to enter his new coordinates and set course for Yavin IV.

 

 

**YAVIN IV, 10 YEARS POST MEETING, 5 YEARS POST ORDER 66**

 

He touches the ship down on the soil of the planet, exiting it into the small compound that Leia and Luke reside. The huts are nice and Obi-Wan moves towards them, but he’s cut off by a young rebel. 

“Sir, are you okay? _Sir?_ ” He asks as Obi-Wan feels his feet slip out from underneath him as he collapses into exhaustion. 

 

 

His vision is blurry as he opens his eyes, but as it clears he sees Padmé staring down at him with a knowing smile. 

“Hey Kiddo, how are you feeling?” She asks and Obi-Wan smiles, shrugging lazily. 

“You know, tired and on the run from the Imperials.” She laughs, knowing all too well how it feels to be on the run from Anakin Skywalker. They were the two people the man had loved most besides Ahsoka. It’s funny how they’ve ended up leading the effort to dismantle the man’s throne. 

“So what’s the diagnosis?” She smiles, running her hand through his hair. 

“You inhaled a lot of smoke and pairing that with the exhaustion and lack of food or water, your body forced you into hibernation upon submerging in the atmosphere. Tell me, Obi-Wan, where _did_ you encounter that much smoke? Your ship was in perfect working order according to our mechanics.” She raises an eyebrow, a smirk playing across her face. He smiles again, enjoying her company.

“I may have burnt down Anakin’s castle and stayed a bit too long,” he answers and she laughs, a sparkle in her eyes that he hasn’t seen in a long time. She takes his hand and he squeezes, content to feel at peace for the first time in so long. 

Anakin doesn’t know where Padmé is, isn’t interested in finding her and so for now, Obi-Wan should be safe with her. 

“Obi-Wan, there’s some people who are really excited to meet you,” she says and Rex walks in with two young children who are the brightest light in the force that he’s felt in so long. In this moment, he knows that he will happily spend the rest of his life training, strengthening, and protecting the light of these children. 

Luke and Leia.

_The new hopes._

“Hiya! Are you Obibi-One?” The little girl asks, taking the hand her mother isn’t holding. He laughs genuinely, admiring how much the young girl looks like Padmé. 

“Yes, I’m Obi-Wan,” he practically giggles, “what’s your name?” The girl smiles and with chubby cheeks answers,

“Nice to meet ya, Obibi-One, m’ names Leia Skywalka,” she answers, her speech not quite right but adorable on such a cute face. Shyly a little blond head peaks around his sister’s with a small grin. 

“Nice to meet you too, Leia,” he says before turning his attention to her brother who blushes as they make eye contact, “and what’s your name?” The boy tries to hide but his sister kicks him a bit, moving away so he has to answer Obi-Wan. He ducks his head. 

“Hi,” he whispers, “my name is Luke.” Obi-Wan takes his hand from Padmé and extends it to the boy, careful not to rip his grasp from Leia’s hold. He extends it to Luke who takes it hesitantly, as if his grip may hurt Obi-Wan worse than he already has been. Obi-Wan feels his eyes soften even further as he takes in the two children. They are his purpose now, he can feel the force singing with the rightness of it. 

“Come along kids, you can play with Obi more tomorrow,” Rex says, smiling at his old commander, “welcome back, Youngling.” Obi-Wan flushes with the use of his old nickname and watches Rex herd them from the room, both shouting goodbyes over their shoulder. Obi-Wan smiles as they exit, turning his attention back to their mother. 

“Get some rest, okay? We have a lot to catch you up on,” Padmé says, leaning down to plant a gentle kiss on his forehead before she leaves the room, gently closing the door with a soft click. 

Obi-Wan sits back and marvels at the possibility of a happier future with the small Skywalker family, content and happy for the first time in years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AND THATS IT, FOLKS. well, not really since I have planned a 5 chapter epilogue following this, but it is in fact where I originally had this ending so I hope you enjoyed it immensely. Thanks for sticking around during my craziness and enjoying this odd twist of a galaxy far far away with me as it became a being inside my head.   
> All my love to all of you!


	21. epilogue: part one

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> padme and obi-wan deal with assassins too often

**HOTH, 12 YEARS POST MEETING, 7 YEARS POST ORDER 66**

 

“Home base, this is General Kenobi, I repeat this is General Kenobi in need of immediate evac,” he yells into the com, taking the datapad from his commander and rushing through the icy fortress. 

“General! General, what’s happening?” A random rebel yells as he enters the main hangar. Obi-Wan spins frantically, feeling the pressing weight of an all too familiar force signature enter the system. He doesn’t know when he became sensitive enough to feel either her or Anakin from so far away, but it is certainly a gift he wont look down on. 

Well, it had been when he had ample escape routes. Now it’s only serving to fill him with unspeakable dread. 

“Grand Moff Tano and the assassins are on the way, I need all machinery gathered and put on star fighters. Get out of here!” He hits the emergency alarm and starts herding the rebels out of the base, moving away from the hangar and back towards the residency halls, banging on doors. 

He knew they would catch up to him eventually, he just wishes he’d had more than two years away. 

“General, come on board!” His commander yells from a fleeing freighter and Obi-Wan flinches, but he knows he can’t leave without knowing the base is empty. 

“You have to go, Commander! I’ll be right behind you!” He runs around the corner, checking all of the rooms before he hears an explosion from the east hangar. 

Where his fighter is. 

_Oh, kriff it all._

Soon, almost all of the fleets have left the atmosphere and as he hears the sickeningly familiar hiss of an imperial shuttle outside, he knows he’s out of options and time, so runs to the end away from the explosion and hopes Ahsoka picks a great time to be bad at tracking him down. 

“Obi-Wan,” he hears over the loud com, and he swears, Ahsoka’s higher pitched, authoritative voice filling his senses for the first time in so long. 

He had been _free!_

“Obi-Wan, come home with us now and nothing else will happen. Anakin has promised to stop violently killing rebels if you come home and then we have… A much more painless way to get rid of your friends,” she says, her tone kind despite threatening the people he’s begun to think of as his new family and friends.

_“Go kriff yourself, Ahsoka!”_ He yells and runs towards the other end of the base, running away from the sound of the Imperial ship. The pendant around his neck bounces in his shirt and he considers ripping it off and leaving it behind, but he can’t. Even now, he can’t leave this last piece of kindness behind from a man who he used to love. 

“I heard that, Little One, and you’ve just given yourself away,” her voice carries through the halls. He runs faster, pulling his lightsabers from his waist and holding them in position. 

He hears a ship settling down and he knows he’s trapped. He wonders if Anakin himself has come for him this time, but he doubts it. The man barely leaves Coruscant anymore from what the Rebellion’s intel tells him. 

He’ll be there to have Obi-Wan dropped to his feet in front of a golden throne. 

Not if Obi-Wan has anything to do with it. He’d sooner die. In fact he _will._

He looks at his sabers in a brief moment of desperation before a manicured hand settles on the lightsaber hanging by his right side. 

“Obi-Wan,” he hears and nearly collapses in relief. The woman in front of him is no more imperial than he is. 

“Padmé,” he gasps and the woman smiles at him, one hand still covering his as she aims past his head and fires at the stormtroopers who are flooding the hallway. With them, is the tall, intimidating figure of Ahsoka Tano, dressed completely in grey. 

They take off in a run, Obi-Wan using Ahsoka’s well taught technique of deflecting from behind and he hears the woman growl in frustration. 

“Threepio, start the engines!” She shouts and the ship rumbles to life as they run on, igniting the ship’s shields and gliding the ship up and up and away from the angry Grand Moff and her army of stormtroopers. Still, as he watches her face disappear from sight, he barely notices the bullets raining like fire on the ship. He turns away when he can no longer see her. 

They collapse in the seats and Padmé smiles over at him as they laugh and gasp in relief. 

“Thanks for the help, Padmé, I would’ve been in deep kark without you,” he says and she laughs, reaching over to ruffle his hair. 

“No problem, Obi-Wan, I had a feeling things were going south when Anakin sent his gloating holorecording a week early by accident,” she giggles and he loses it in the seat next to her as they fly threw hyperspace. 

Even as Emperor, even as Darth Vader, Anakin did the dumbest kark sometimes.

The pendant feels warm against his neck as he settles off into sleep with the woman who has quickly become one of his best friends. 

 

 

**CORUSCANT, 4 YEARS POST MEETING**

 

“Anakin, I don’t know if you pacing is necessary,” Obi-Wan sighs, draping his feet over the end of Senator Amidala’s couch. 

“Obi-Wan, I don’t have to explain my actions to you, but you need to explain why you think it’s okay to drape yourself over Padmé’s couch after someone just attempted to murder her!” Obi-Wan sighs, rolling his eyes and removing his feet from the couch. 

“She’s fine, Anakin. The council has given us permission to protect her for the time being and-“

“Obi-Wan, please, if you value my sanity, stop talking.” Obi-Wan rolls his eyes.

“Anakin, you don’t _talk_ to me anymore! Ever since Ahsoka left its like you’re miles away and I can’t reach you… It scares me,” he says and the man casts his eyes sideways towards his student, the blue dark in them as if it’s the bottom of the ocean on Naboo. His face doesn’t soften the way it used to, doesn’t fill with kind fondness and it is the first time that Obi-Wan begins to genuinely fear that he’s lost the man who was his master, his best friend. 

“It’s not up to you to question me, Obi-Wan,” he nearly snarls and Obi-Wan takes himself out of his seat in shock. He turns back to look at Anakin, but the man only glares at the wall, decidedly not looking at him. Obi-Wan swallows a lump in his throat and walks to the doorway. 

“Okay… I’ll just, go? Yeah, I guess, I’ll just go,” he says and Anakin looks to him, his eyes softening briefly before hardening again. 

“Why don’t you,” Anakin shrugs and Obi-Wan walks out of the room and into the lift, leaving 500 Republica and heading to the speeder. 

 

 

Hours later, with three long scoldings from Master Windu hanging on his shoulders, he returns, walking into Padmé’s apartment. 

“Where did you go?” Anakin demands and Padmé is still nowhere in sight, presumably ignoring her significant other because he’s being rude. Which he is. 

“I recall you telling me to leave,” Obi-Wan quips and Anakin’s eyes narrow. 

“And I recall being your master too, but I don’t think padawans speak that way to their Masters.” 

“They do when their Master is being a _kriffing bantha kark eating nerf herder_ ,” he snarls and Anakin’s eyes widen at his young padawan’s language. 

_“Obi-Wan-“_

“ _No!_ I tried to open up to you earlier and you shut me down for no reason! I know your girlfriend almost got killed, but honestly, Anakin you shut me out so much lately you might as well not be around _at all!_ ” He says and then hands Anakin the datapad Mace Windu had handed him prior roughly. 

“What’s this?” He asks in shock. Obi-Wan just pushes it against his chest again. 

“Maybe if you read it, you’d figure it out.” He says and storms past Anakin and into Padmé’s room. 

“Hello, Obi, how are you today?” She asks and he finally relaxes a bit, smiling gently at her. 

“Anakin’s being a nerf herder, but what else is new?” He says and she sighs tiredly. They lounge against her headboard, his lightsaber safely tucked in his cloak and they’re just chatting idly, enjoying the view of the Coruscanti sunset outside her transparisteel. It’s nice until Anakin busts in again. 

“Obi-Wan-“ He cuts himself off, looking at them with wide eyes. 

“What are you two doing?” At some point, Padmé had poured them each a glass of Alderaanian wine and they had been gossiping over it for the last hour. Each now having had more than one, they’re draped over the furniture. 

“Drinking wine and talking kark, what does it look like?” Obi-Wan snarks and Padmé stifles a laugh as Anakin glares. He sighs, bringing a hand up to rub it on his face. 

“Obi-Wan, this behavior,” he starts, but Obi-Wan cuts him off. 

“I’ll change _mine_ when you change _yours,_ ” he sing-songs and Padmé actually starts to laugh. They may both be a little drunk, which is highly undignified but Obi-Wan has heard the story from Ahsoka of when Anakin went to protect Padmé when he was a padawan. As long as Obi-Wan doesn’t sleep with her, he figures he’s got a one up on his master. 

“You’re going to Naboo with Padmé to watch over her and I’m going to hunt down the assassin,” Anakin says and it’s as if all of his words are a sigh, “And while you’re there, please fix your attitude.” Obi-Wan smiles ruefully, nodding with a thumbs up. 

“You got him drunk?” Anakin accuses Padmé and she glares at him. 

“No. We got drunk. _Both of us._ He is an adult you know,” she grumbles and Anakin marches over to the bed, yanking them both up by an arm. He drags them out and into the kitchen, dropping his wife in a chair and shoving Obi-Wan’s face under the faucet. He turns on the cold water and enjoys the grunts Obi-Wan makes as he struggles. When Anakin finally lets him up, Obi-Wan stares at him with tears in his eyes. 

“Go lay down and sober up, _My Young Padawan_ , you have an actual job to do,” he sneers and Obi-Wan drags his feet as he exits. In his drunken haze, he almost drags himself in to apologize to Anakin, but he can’t bring himself to. He doesn’t think he was wrong in the end. Anakin, whatever was going on, was acting strange and had been since Ahsoka left. 

He almost doesn’t notice when Anakin stands over him, a funny twist to his mouth. 

“I’m sorry for this, Obi-Wan,” he says as he presses the force against Obi-Wan’s vulnerable, drunken mind. Obi-Wan struggles before laying pliant, trying not to look at his master. 

“You will forget everything that has happened here today,” he starts and Obi-Wan’s lips move to repeat the words, but Anakin’s fingers hush him, “when you wake up you will take Padmé to Naboo and contact me before you depart.”

“When I wake up, I will take Padmé to Naboo and contact you before I depart,” he repeats and Anakin grins. 

_“Good boy,”_ he whispers and before Obi-Wan passes out he swears he sees gold creep into the corners of his master’s eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so... the second half of this first part of the epilogue is mainly to pull some inconsistencies together. Do i think Anakin was already slipping towards the dark when Ahsoka "abandons" him? Yes. That's why I wanted to write a piece that's set prior to the one on naboo at the beginning of this fic. 
> 
> anyway, as always, thank you for reading and sticking by this story! Let me know what you think!


	22. epilogue: part two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the death star is a thing in this universe too, unfortunately.

**CORUSCANT, 12 YEARS POST MEETING, 7 YEARS POST ORDER 66**

 

The walls are durasteel and the table he sits at the head of is long. They’re in a bunker, although he isn’t really there. His holoform sits in a chair and watches his subordinates wither under both his gaze and the gaze of the woman next to him. 

Grand Moff Tano is physically in the bunker, sitting with the men around it and glaring down at them for their obvious failure. They fidget and flinch, but Ahsoka keeps her yellow eyes cold and distant, allowing the men to be unaware of what is going to happen next. 

They had let Kenobi go, had let him escape with only the report of a young boy in his arms as he boarded their escape vessel. The boy, young and blonde, skin tan and clothes ragged from war were the only descriptors the men had provided Ahsoka with when she had arrived on the scene. The woman had choked the life out of the commanding officer that had been posted then and now they sit with the highest ranking officials in their empire, Anakin comming in on a secret frequency for his own safety and ease of access. 

He didn't know who the boy was, didn't know if his boy was foolish enough to start a new Jedi Order, but he _would_ find out. 

They had decided to reveal their new project to their highest ranking officers, as the construction was to begin very soon and they needed people who would overlook the project. The men around the table quake with fear, but one man watches everything, even Anakin himself, with great disinterest. Anakin recognizes him almost instantly. 

_Orson Krennic._

The man is hotheaded, has worked his way to where he is underneath people and clawed his way tooth and nail to the top. Anakin had found him intriguing when Krennic had served under the newly deceased Tarkin, but now the intrigue was rising quickly. Most of these men were leftovers from the old regime under Palpatine, but Anakin knew he had quickly gained most of the military’s loyalty having fought in battle with them as Vader. 

Orson Krennic could be _his._

_Theirs._

Loyal and trustworthy as he overlooked the construction of Anakin’s new pet project. The smirk spreads slowly across Anakin’s face and he realizes a conversation was going on around him. His attention shifts to Ahsoka, who is coldly addressing their soldiers. 

“What we called you here for, we will reveal when the Emperor is ready. Don’t step out of line, Admiral, you’ll find you won’t like the consequences,” Anakin’s smirk widens before he clears his throat, the room silencing. The smirk is gone as his eyes meet those of every individual around them. 

“Grand Moff Tano, would you please escort everyone except Commander Krennic from the room,” he says and he feels the frustration and rage bubble from those in the room who he wasn’t singling out. His eyes cooly remained open to anyone who dared look at him in anger, but wisely they all filed out of the bunker after Ahsoka, who waited until they had all exited before winking at Anakin and shutting the door behind her. Anakin waits a few more moments before his gaze focused on Krennic across the room. 

“Hello, Commander, how are you this evening?” The man goes to answer but Anakin cuts him off, “Is it evening in your current system?” There’s a moment where Krennic hesitates and makes Anakin doubt his decision, but he quickly laughs and it sounds genuine enough.

“Just half past five standard out here, sir, but thank you for your kind words,” he says and it passes the silent test. Anakin genuinely smiles. 

“I have a mission for you, Commander. Are you up for it?” The man is suddenly at the edge of his seat, hanging on to Anakin’s every word like he’s starving for it.

“Yes Sir, _of course_ Sir. Anything you need,” he insists and Anakin shifts in his chair, his blue form moving with him as he folds his hands on his lap, remnant of the way Mace Windu used to and gives a cold smile to his new underling. 

“I’m building a weapon, I’d like you to oversee it’s construction,” Anakin says leaning forward to rest his head against his folded fists, “it is a weapon unlike any you have seen before… It will bring peace, freedom, justice, and security to _my_ new Empire.”

_“Your new Empire?”_ The man asks and Vader’s eyes narrow into slits, the gold warming even in holographic form. Krennic shifts quickly, “Of course, Your Highness. Your new Empire is glorious.” Anakin’s eyes do not shift even as his posture relaxes. 

“You are to oversee something of dire importance, Young Man. If you cannot handle-“

_“I can!_ I can handle it, Your Highness, I promise,” the man swears and he shoves his chair away from the table, falling to the ground on one knee. 

“Anything you ask, My Lord. I will do anything you ask!” Anakin’s smile is still cold, but it takes on a sharp pride. The man in front of him is desperate for power, something easily malleable. 

“Then rise, _Director_ Krennic, and be ready to receive your mission,” Anakin says and the slightly older man scrambles to his feet, completely unaware of the fact that Anakin is five years his junior. Not that it would matter, Anakin has the power he so craves, he wouldn’t endanger his chance for it for pride of all things. _Not yet._

“May I ask what this mission is, My Lord?” He trembles slightly from nerves, the gaze of the Emperor piercing through him. He wonders if that is an attribute the force provides it’s wielders. 

“I call it the _Death Star.”_

 

 

**YAVIN IV, 12 YEARS POST MEETING, 7 YEARS POST ORDER 66**

 

Obi-Wan has a twin on his hip as he draws on the board in front of a squadron of men. They are being sent on a highly top secret mission, one that would take them into the heart of the Empire. The mission hadn’t been Obi-Wan’s idea, and him having knowledge of Anakin and Ahsoka, he was highly against it, but the men were willing, they though the mission worth it, and in the end he was to brief them on Imperial behavior and what’s expected within the regime. 

Luke’s fingers are tangled in Obi-Wan’s beard and he doesn’t have the energy to distangle them as he draws the plans one-handedly. The men are grumbling softly behind him, not enough to warrant disrespect, but enough to annoy an exhausted general who has a child with his hands in his beard.

“Gentlemen, I would appreciate your attention please,” Obi-Wan says and Luke giggles at his hip, the seven year old heavier than he used to be. 

Obi-Wan sighs. 

“Luke, you are far too old to be held like this. Run along and find Leia to spend time with,” he chastises softly and the young boy just smiles widely. 

“Sure, but being in here with you is so much cooler, Obi,” the boy says and Obi-Wan sticks his hand into the boy’s hair, ruffling it gently.

“Yes, but this is _sensitive_ information, Luke, and I told you what that means,” Obi-Wan reminds, ready for the boy to remind himself of his teachings. 

“You said that as your padabawan, I needed to listen and sensitive info-mation isn’t for seven year olds,” the boy grins when he finishes, both front teeth startlingly absent from his mouth as he does. Obi-Wan smiles, shooing the boy along even as he pouts in response. 

Eventually, even seven year old padawans get frustrated. 

_Go figure._

“Fine,” the boy drawls before running out shouting, _“Leia!_ Leia lets play Jedi vs. Sith!” Obi-Wan smiles at the exit before turning back to his troops, the board still too empty for the amount of time they have now spent in the briefing. Obi-Wan smiles at them before quickly sketching out the rest of the plan.

“I apologize for that distraction, men, but now we can continue,” he says, spinning to face the men he’s sending off to their deaths. The pain runs through him, it’s velocity almost blinding, but Obi-Wan smiles half-heartedly. 

The thing, Obi-Wan has learned, about rebels is, they never lack in terms of _hope._

And to kill theirs the way his had been long ago would be a cruel, cruel thing.

“General, will we be given new faces?” One man asks and Obi-Wan flinches, quickly remembering his time as Rako Hardeen before he shoves the idea down. That was a time he didn’t like to remember. One of the first that had scarred him. 

There are days when Obi-Wan hates the Jedi along with the rest of the universe, but Mace’s saber always feels a little too heavily with the guilt of it all and he reminds himself that they had tried to be good and do the right thing. 

They had been better than others Obi-Wan has known in his life. 

They had _tried._ Like these rebels were. And as the last remaining Jedi that he knows of, he has to honor that effort, Yoda’s saying be damned to the Sith hells. “Do or do not, there is no try,” is false. Has been false since the first time he heard it. 

Sometimes, when the going gets tough, and the light has been snuffed out, it’s all one can do to continue standing up day after day and keep _trying._

Because as long as one person tries, the light, however dim it may be, of hope persists in the universe. 

So, Obi-Wan has no hope, he thinks these rebels will die. But they all keep trying regardless because if they stop trying then there is no chance for hope to continue. 

“Unfortunately, the Rebel Alliance does not have the resources to provide you that extra safeguard, but I will provide you the best education and disguise that I possibly can. I swear to it on a Jedi’s honor,” he says and he bows to the men slightly, knowing they won’t give a kark about his promise. He does it anyway, does it because it needs to be done. He won’t swear on lives anymore, they’ve become too precious to him. 

“Will we have names?” Another random man asks and _stars,_ Obi-Wan should know the names of these brave men, why doesn’t he know the names of these brave men-

“Will we be taking a dead man’s place?” Asks another. Obi-Wan’s thoughts are racing around inside his skull, pounding at the edges of his head and he feels reality pushing through the surface before-

A warm force signature brushes his and pulls him back in, keeps his soul from escaping into the cosmic reaches of space, allowing Obi-Wan to breathe normally again.

He sends a brief thanks to Qui-Gon and faces the brave men in the room, the men going where he himself will never go again. Into Imperial territory. 

_Anakin's territory._

“You will be placed in training academies and will work your way into the system. If you keep your head high and stay at least somewhat honest, you will attract the Emperor’s attention at some point,” Obi-Wan responds and the men nod, grim expressions etched into their features. 

“We have learned that there may be something major going on within the empire, something that is meant to be top secret,” he sucks in a calming breath before continuing, “We need you to find and locate what it is. Can you handle it?” Faces of men who are resigned to their fates stare back at him, but they shine with hope even still and Obi-Wan swallows the sob that lives forever in his soul. 

They nod and one by one file out. 

Obi-Wan slides down the wall and places his head in his hands. 

What good is _hope_ if people _die_ for it?

Do they even have a _choice_ in life or death anymore?

The answers to his questions allude him, but even then, even _still_ , hope persists.

 

 

Twelve years and millions if not billions of deaths later he knows his answer, knows what they died to discover. 

They call it the _Death Star._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I KNOW THIS IS ALMOST A WEEK LATE AND IM SORRY! school and personal stuff has been getting to me the last couple of days, but I hope you enjoy the second part of the epilogue. We're almost through this crazy ride!
> 
> As always, thank you for reading, and feel free to come chat with me and send prompts on tumblr,   
> [intergalacticfuckup](https://intergalacticfuckup.tumblr.com)
> 
> and read the short story about Luke, Leia, and Padmé in between this part and the next here: [Chapter 2 of Double Trouble](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10640301/chapters/24509985)


	23. epilogue: part three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the death star and the events surrounding it

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the prologue to this chapter can be found here: [Chapter 2 of Double Trouble](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10640301/chapters/24509985)
> 
> please read it first!

**YAVIN IV, 24 YEARS POST MEETING, 19 YEARS POST ORDER 66**

 

_“Leia?”_ She calls, looking around every corner and crevice and room. She isn’t panicking yet, but she pulls out the comm that usually rests on her hip and calls Obi-Wan.

_“Padmé?”_ He asks and she sobs, her breath hitching a couple of times before she can even fathom speaking.

“It’s Leia, Obi, she’s _gone!”_ She looks to Luke, her lovely boy who, even though he won’t be honest about what he knows in loyalty to Leia, won’t leave her alone to feel her grief. For a moment, she wants to hit him, to scream about how unfair this is to her. She raised them, _loved_ them, and now they deceive her? 

_“What do you mean?”_ He asks and then hears a voice on the other end.

 _“General, Alliance Ships calling for assistance from the area surrounding Scarif!”_ Padmé feels the breath leave her lungs and this time she does glare at her son, who has the sense to cast his glance aside. 

“Scarif?” She breathes as Obi-Wan stutters on the other end, not knowing whether he should attend to his duty or help the child of his heart that has fled her golden tower in the safety of her elders. Leia had gone to help her friend, to help the girl Padmé and the Alliance had denied assistance to. In that moment, she has never been more reminded of herself in her daughter, but it only serves to make her angrier. 

“It’s _her_ , Obi. Go help her please,” Padmé breathes and he cuts the connection, not even bothering to say goodbye. Padmé doesn’t blame him, she would’ve done the same. 

Luke shifts from foot to foot before he glances at her apologetically and spins on his heel, taking off in a run. Padmé yells after him, but she knows it is no use.  
The call of twin loyalty, of sibling loyalty, has been administered, and Luke will answer it no doubt. Padmé collapses against the wall, knowing she may lose both of them if she isn’t careful. 

When Captain Solo’s freighter, dubbed the Millennium Falcon, takes off out of the atmosphere she collects herself. As their mother, the mother of the cosmic forces both of her children undoubtedly are, she has to be strong and get them through this. 

She stands, dusts herself off and returns to command. 

They’re destroying the Death Star if it’s the last thing any of them do, her children have decided that for all of them. 

 

 

**OPEN SPACE, 24 YEARS POST MEETING, 19 YEARS POST ORDER 66**

 

It’s when Leia feels the dark presence enter her ship that she sends Threepio with the plans to intercept Obi-Wan’s vessel that she called for earlier. He fusses but goes, the coordinates already placed for him to do so. She records a message for all of those she loves quickly.

“Mom, Luke, Obi, Uncle Rex, whoever is listening… I’m sorry, but I couldn’t wait around anymore. She needed help and you always taught me to follow what I thought was right and this… This is right. If I don’t survive, make sure this contraption is destroyed, make sure Vader goes to prison. Make sure the Empire falls. I love you, may the force be with us all.” She chokes back a sob as she ushers him in after and sends the escape pod into space. 

The dark presence nears.

She leaves the area, hands up when the storm troopers come for her. They cuff her, yanking her arms behind her back and cuffing her harshly. 

“Well, what do we have here?” Ahsoka Tano stands in front of her, the woman Leia used to hear stories about when she was a toddler, and Leia meets her gaze bravely.

“Grand Moff Tano, I should have known, only you could be so _bold._ ” Ahsoka tilts her head mockingly. 

“Princess Leia of Alderaan, I presume,” she sneers and Leia wants to laugh. If only this woman knew the truth, that Leia is the daughter of the Emperor, but she just smirks in response as she’s led onto a ship, one directed to the contraption she has just given the plans out to destroy. A heavy feeling weighs her heart down, but it’s _worth_ it.

“What’s this?” Ahsoka asks, pulling Leia’s saber off of her hip and examining it and shit. Leia had forgotten about it, not usually using it. Luke had made her promise to take it for protection, but it seems it is what will seal her fate. She holds her head higher. 

It’s worth it. 

_She’s willing to die for this._

 

 

“Princess Leia of Alderaan,” Ahsoka reports to Anakin deep in the command center of the ship and Anakin raises a single eyebrow. He nods though from the machine, the man too proud to stay away from it despite the safety concerns, a curious expression overcoming him as smirk dangerously at her. 

_“Oh Snips, would it be too much for the Emperor to interrogate someone himself?”_ He laughs a tad and Ahsoka can’t deny him anything, not anymore, so she doesn’t say anything at all, just brings the girl to the Death Star. 

 

 

**DEATH STAR, ALDERAANIAN SYSTEM, 24 YEARS POST MEETING, 19 YEARS POST ORDER 66**

 

“Princess Leia of Alderaan,” the man, her father, addresses her. His scar over his right eye gives him away, the grand robes helping. The Emperor thinks her important enough to interrogate himself because of a fake title, one Bail Organa let her have so she could openly study politics, but he doesn’t realize he’s staring at the result of his own bloodline. 

_His own daughter._

“Tell me, where did you get _this?_ ” He asks, holding her saber up to examine it in the light in front of her and she smiles wickedly. 

“Obi-Wan Kenobi helped me make it,” she says and enjoys how Vader’s posture hardens, his yellow eyes finding hers with a viciousness residing there that had been absent before. 

“What do _you_ know of Obi-Wan Kenobi, child?” He asks and yells, throwing her saber to the side. How arrogant, she thinks as she calls it into her hand, the blade on and up as red crashes down on the blue plasma, both of their faces engulfed in red and blue light. Her shackles fall the floor, the Emperor and his underlings clearly not knowing she has force sensitivity. 

He seems surprised before he lifts the other hand, the metal one- _she remembers the story of how he got that_ -and uses the force to throw her against the wall pining her there. The torture droid that has been in the room since she was brought there is dragged by the force to his side where he finds a needle. 

She doesn’t know what’s in it, but she can guess it’s no good from the look of the clear liquid. She winces, closing her eyes as the needle is jabbed into her neck.

_I’m sorry, Luke!_

 

 

**MILLENNIUM FALCON, OPEN SPACE, 24 YEARS POST MEETING, 19 YEARS POST ORDER 66**

 

Luke sits in the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon, Han next to him as he wrings his hands together. The saber on his hip is heavy, the weight of his father’s old saber too heavy. He feels when Leia goes silent on the other end, not dead but silent, the feeling an odd hole in his mind that’s usually always filled with light and laughter. 

“Han, we have to get to her I don’t know what he’s doing to her!” He panics and Han reaches a hand over, grasping Luke’s for a moment, squeezing tightly. Chewbacca roars from the front and Han nods to him, clearly hearing what Luke doesn’t.

In the back of his mind, he resolves to learn how to speak his language, it’s the least he can do for his friend. 

“We’re going, Kid, but you have to be prepared to face the _truth._ We’re entering Imperial Territory, and it’s highly likely that _none_ of us are getting out of here alive,” he says and Luke squeezes his eyes shut tighter, knowing that this is the way the universe works, but not quite willing to accept that. 

“At least I’ll see her one last time,” Luke says and Han doesn’t point out that they might not even get to do that, not if the Imperials kill them on sight. Han just squeezes Luke’s hand tighter. 

Chewbacca roars again and Han shoots up, rushing from the cockpit quickly. Luke follows, not sure what is going on. 

“Han, where are you going?” He yells.

“A ship has just docked!” Luke runs, saber in hand, ready to defend himself and his friends but as he ignites it, a familiar being walks through the steam. 

“Obi?” He asks incredulous and the older Jedi smiles at them, rebellion clothes looking almost out of place on the man. 

“I heard you needed some assistance,” he smiles and Luke could weep for joy. 

There’s a chance they won’t be dying after all.

 

 

**DEATH STAR, ALDERAANIAN SYSTEM, 24 YEARS POST MEETING, 19 YEARS POST ORDER 66**

 

“Princess,” Vader greets as she’s dragged by guards to the control center of the ship. Her saber is gone, her clothes replaced with prison garments while she was unconscious and she shivers, the darkness of the combined Sith Lords swallowing the remaining light around her. The intention of this room is drenched in a sick darkness she has never contemplated before this moment. She gulps the air in her lungs and hopes that this isn’t what she thinks it is. 

“Vader,” she says in return, her focus on the blue-green planet in the view of the Death Star. 

Of Alderaan. 

_Uncle Rex and Bail…_

“I welcome you to the first proper demonstration of this fully operational battle station,” he says and she jerks forward in the arms of the guards, her full attention on the man who provided her with half of her genetic makeup. _How can he be so cruel?_

“No, _please!_ Alderaan is a peaceful planet, they have done nothing to invoke your wrath!” She says and he smirks.

“It will teach your rebellion a lesson,” he says and the ignition was ready, was just waiting for her. He signals and the machine fires up, the floor and walls vibrating with the energy it takes. 

The planet is _there._

And then it _isn’t._

The durasteel floors are cold beneath her knees as she collapses to them, the force screaming in agony. She wraps her arms around her head, trying to drown out the sound, the screaming, the sick laughter from Vader. 

Eventually, she manages to stumble to her feet, somehow collects herself and she faces Vader with cold indifference he knows is fake. He knows it, but she won’t give him the satisfaction of seeing it anymore. 

Her heart mourns Rex and Bail, but she stands strong. 

“If you think this will intimidate her into quitting, you never knew her very well at all,” she says and Vader knows who _she_ is. He without a doubt knows who Leia means. 

“ _Oh?_ And how would _you _know her?” Leia smirks, the exhaustion of her soul coming through.__

____

____

“Well, as her daughter I think I have a pretty good idea.” Vader and Ahsoka snap their full attention to her as she turns to the guards.

“Take me back to my cell, boys, I’m done with these two,” she orders and they listen, the force helping her command. 

Vader is shocked as she is led away, the spitting image of his former wife. 

With a fire that is almost _too_ familiar…

_“Get me a genetic reading on her, Ahsoka!”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> we're almost there! Again, sorry for the spotty updates lately, I'm graduating high school in a couple of weeks so everything has been crazy. 
> 
> as always, let me know what you think of the chapter and thank you for reading!


	24. epilogue: part four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> confrontation

**DEATH STAR, ALDERAANIAN SYSTEM, 24 YEARS POST MEETING, 19 YEARS POST ORDER 66**

 

“You find her and then you _leave_. You don’t wait for me,” he orders Luke, Han, and Chewbacca as he sets out to find the man he’s tried to avoid for so long. 

Luke grabs his hand. 

“Obi, I can’t leave you,” he says and there are tears in his eyes. Obi-Wan reaches up, brushing his knuckles across Luke’s cheeks as his eyes mist as well.

“There is _nowhere_ you can go that I won’t be with you,” he promises, taking a few steps back. 

“Tell your sister I love her… I love you, Luke, get home to your mother,” he begs before placing the helmet on his head and walking into the heart of Anakin’s territory. The force starts to sing a familiar song, one an octave lower than he’s used to, taking on an eery sense of danger, but he pushes forward. He knew he was going to die when he found out Leia had been captured, he knows its okay. If it’s for Luke and Leia, he’s okay with dying, he’s _ready._

He feels in the force when Anakin picks up on his force signature, feels a tug along the bond that has been dormant for so long and opens it. It’s a dark bond, one so different then the original one that he broke on Utapau, but long dead regrets can’t be reflected on now, not when the monster himself is coming to reclaim his long awaited prize.

_Come and get me_ , he hisses. 

_Oh, with pleasure_ , comes the harsh response from his old friend. 

He waits only a couple of minutes before Vader shows his face. 

“So you’ve finally returned to me?” Anakin says, red blade extended by his side, lightly swinging back and forth. Obi-Wan stands with his hilt in hand, not quite in the battle ready position, but prepared for any attack that might come his way.

“You’ll understand I’m on a rescue mission. You’ve got something important to me, had to get it back. You know how it is,” he says nonchalantly and Anakin’s upper lip pulls back in a sneer. 

“Would that important thing happen to be my _daughter?”_ Anakin asks and Obi-Wan laughs because honestly, the audacity of this man.

“She isn’t _yours._ You didn’t _raise_ her, you didn’t _love_ her, all you did was provide DNA and you know what? Before you get all high and mighty, Leia has known about you for _years_ and stayed away because you’re a horrible human being. _Congrats,”_ Obi-Wan says, igniting his lightsaber and moving into the opening stance of jar’kai, white and purple lightsabers reflecting off the durasteel walls dangerously.

Anakin snarls as he shoves forward, swing more deadly than Obi-Wan remembers, but he holds his own, even as Anakin backs him further and further into a corner. Sparks fly as the blades clash, the moves both warriors use becoming something like a dance, wide arcs and spinning get aways. 

“You were supposed to be loyal!” Anakin shouts as Obi-Wan ducks out front from under a brutal hit.

“How can you say that when all you’ve done is hurt me?” Obi-Wan falls back, the corner fast approaching. He knows he’s going to die, he just hopes Luke and Leia get off of this thing before the rebels show up to destroy it. 

Despite knowing of his death, he had assumed it would be by Anakin’s side, captive. He hadn’t contemplated Anakin _actually murdering him himself._ He cant feel his own grief. 

Suddenly there is a red blade just centimeters from his throat and Obi-Wan finds himself thoroughly trapped, his arms pressed behind him, forcing him to turn off his weapons. He doesn’t throw them aside the way he might have once, taking a deep breath and balancing himself in the force. 

His eyes slip closed. 

“Look at me,” Anakin demands, but Obi-Wan keeps them shut. Anakin takes a moment to look at how the man has aged since they last saw each other and the grey is peeking through his ginger hair in a way Anakin has never seen. There are laugh lines Anakin doesn’t remember, scars from times that Obi-Wan spent away from him and the ache in his chest almost burns along with the scorching skin of Obi-Wan’s neck. The red blade hums on and on mercilessly. 

_“Look at me,”_ he whispers again and Obi-Wan opens his eyes, blue meeting gold and there’s a sliver of blue in Anakin’s as well. Obi-Wan doesn’t decide if its real or just a reflection of his own before its gone again, the man spinning away from him. 

“How did we get here?” Anakin asks, not facing Obi-Wan who reaches up, tenderly poking at the burn mark on his neck. It stings. 

“Well you decided to be Emperor of the galaxy and I decided that I wanted to save it,” he says and suddenly his sabers are on again, engaging Vader brutally, but another two red blades meet his own. The man hisses in a breath as Ahsoka takes his place, red blades swinging up to meet purple as white swings around, slicing into her upper thigh. 

Ahsoka collapses, crippling to the left, her right leg lying on the ground next to her.

_“Obi-Wan,”_ she chokes and sad blue eyes meet the blue ones of Ahsoka Tano, the woman he once loved like a mother. 

“You should have _stayed with me_ , Ahsoka,” there isn’t an apology, but his eyes say what he doesn’t. He wishes her no harm, even if she had once hurt him beyond repair. Obi-Wan backs up a step, looking up to see rage simmering in Anakin’s eyes. 

“You should’ve _stayed with my daughter_ , Ahsoka,” he snarls at his second in command before stalking around her body, kicking her leg away from him as he approaches Obi-Wan again, blade ignited. Obi-Wan sucks in a breath, entering his stance again, knowing he will die here.

Purple and white meet red as gold meets blue and Anakin shoves forward, a snarl on his lips. 

_“Get away from him!”_ Obi-Wan shoves Anakin backwards with the force, knowing that voice anywhere.

“Leia, _no!”_ He screams, but Leia and Luke are between them before anything else can happen, staring down their birth father with cold indifference. 

“Leia, I don’t want to hurt you or your boyfriend, but I will if you don’t get out of my way,” Anakin threatens and the way Luke nearly throws up next to Leia. The gagging noise startles Anakin out of his attack mode. 

“Luke, control yourself!” He watches his daughter hiss at the boy and quirks an eyebrow. An alarm sounds, but Vader ignores it, looking at the boy with blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes. The boy straightens and he blushes sheepishly. 

“Leia, he just called me your boyfriend! That’s _incest,”_ the boy childishly insists before his sister clamps a hand over his mouth. She had hoped to spare her twin from the fate she would face if Vader won at the end of this and not them, but it seems he is unwilling to abandon her even at the end. 

_“Excuse me?”_ Vader asks, but Obi-Wan flips over them, blades poised for attack. 

“Leia, get you and your brother onto Captain Solo’s ship! Your mother is waiting!” He orders and sees Leia turn, grabbing Luke’s wrist and hauling him away. 

“Twins?” Vader asks and Obi-Wan shrugs. 

“I have _twins?”_ He asks again as they match each other strike for strike. 

_“Padmé_ had twins,” Obi-Wan responds, jumping over Ahsoka who still rests on the ground, right leg across the room. 

“You know what I-“ He starts but Obi-Wan twists, cutting him a bit on his arm before dancing away gracefully. Vader hisses at the mark. 

“I know that Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala conceived twins before he left her for power that was never rightfully his,” he snarls, shoving Mace Windu’s saber forward in a violent jab. Vader responds in like, his brutal nature coming out fully. 

“I left her for you! I chose _you!”_ Vader yells and Obi-Wan settles in, raising his saber the way Qui-Gon taught him so he can become one with the force. 

“You chose _wrong,”_ he says and waits for the blow that will take him out of this consciousness into the next one. 

He waits.

And _waits…_

When no blow occurs he opens his eyes to find a young Luke Skywalker blocking his father’s blade with the one he had been gifted as a child. Anakin’s eyes recognize the hilt immediately and his eyes find Obi-Wan’s over where his blade is connecting with Luke’s. 

“Luke, I told you to leave!” He yells and the boy doesn’t turn his way, but he does shove Vader back once for good measure. 

“And I told you I can’t leave you!” Luke says and Obi-Wan joins the fight, knowing he has to win if Luke is here, he can’t die and leave Luke here with the man that stole his own innocence. They engage the most powerful man in the universe, and they hope against the laws of the force that they may win.

The mechanical hand hits the floor next to Ahsoka with the lightsaber clenched in it. She looks at it once, calling the saber into her hands and glaring up at Anakin with gold eyes. 

_“Ahsoka,”_ he snarls, but it’s not soon enough because Alliance troops flood the surrounding areas. The stormtroopers cant fire when their Emperor is in the center of the attack and so they cuff both him and Ahsoka.

“Emperor Skywalker and Grand Moff Tano, by the power of the Rebel Alliance, you are both under arrest,” Leia says as she pushes her way to the front of the crowd of soldiers, Padmé by her side proudly. Anakin snarls, but says nothing, glaring at Ahsoka who sits with her head down. 

They send her on a ship with a medbay and take him onto the Millenium Falcon where they will contain him until they find a place that will hold the emperor. 

They take his weapons, suppress the force with his cuffs. He’s isolated and no one is looking to save him. He struggles as Obi-Wan forces him to watch what happens next. 

Alliance ships fill the atmosphere and they have the plans to the contraption. 

The Death Star is _there._

And then it _isn’t._

And all of Anakin’s hard work as Emperor is gone too. 

“For you, Rex and Bail,” he hears his daughter whisper from somewhere in the area around him and feels a pang in his chest for his old clone captain. The one who was always so loyal to Anakin. 

He knows now that loyalty is sometimes not enough, not when morality comes into question. He looks up at the love of his life, the boy he had missed for so long and realizes that he’s not a boy anymore.

For the first time since he’s fallen, Anakin Skywalker _knows that he is wrong_ , that he has been wrong the entire time.

Sorrow fills him to the brim, and he knows he deserves to rot for what he’s done, even if the selfishness in him wishes Obi-Wan would just kill him and spare him from this pain.

In the end, he doesn’t even deserve death, death would be too good for him. 

There are worse things then death in the universe, something Anakin wishes he realized before he ruined the lives of everyone he ever loved.

When the soldiers take him away from Obi-Wan, he goes, knowing in his heart he will see him again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> one more one more one more! Woo! Thank you for sticking around until the end of this crazy ride with me!  
> let me know what you think of the chapter in the comments! As always, lots of love from me!


	25. epilogue: part five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the end of the road

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before you read this, I would like to thank all of the people who have read or are just reading this story, without all of the support it has gotten I would not have been able to finish. It is bittersweet for me as I wrap this up, it comes at an emotional time.
> 
> The end of eras are always hard and this is just another one for me. 
> 
> Thank you in advance and I hope you enjoy the final chapter of this story.
> 
> S

**CORUSCANT, 24 YEARS POST MEETING, 19 YEARS POST ORDER 66**

 

The streets had been filled on almost every planet, Obi-Wan watching the holonet in awe as people flooded the newly freed space. They hugged people who they’d never met, hugged their families, bought rounds for each other in the cantinas, went home and felt safe under their own roofs.

The Emperor had been arrested and it was the beginning of a new day, one that had been a thing of imagination only hours ago. 

The Rebellion had succeeded and they were now restoring democracy to a galaxy who had long lived without it. 

Around the galaxy, the force lifted back into the light just a tad and although the adults may be oblivious, Obi-Wan and the younglings feel it, they feel the dawn of a new day in their bone structure. His own two younglings, though they aren’t that young any longer, flank him on either side, watching freedom reign across the galaxy as tyranny ends. 

_“We did it,”_ Leia breathes and Obi-Wan wraps an arm around the young politician’s shoulder.

“That we did, Young One,” he starts, wrapping his other arm around Luke, “Thank you for saving me.” He says and they smile, their relief in his survival palpable in the training bonds he has with each of them. 

Padmé is in the Senate Rotunda for the first time in nineteen years as she and Mon Mothma work to reestablish order. Leia longs to be there with her, he knows, but she will stay with him and Luke for now, to relish in the reality that she is seeing democracy for the first time unfold before her very eyes, the very ideal she’s dreamed of since she was a child. 

Luke stares with wonder at the Jedi Temple around them, the way that it had been altered to become the imperial palace sickens Obi-Wan, but he figures that his young charge wouldn’t know about them. He hadn’t ever called this monstrosity of a building home only to have it destroyed. 

A fact, that if Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon’s plan works out, will no longer be true. 

The walls need to be scrubbed of any Imperial Insignia and the throne room has to be fixed back into the council chamber. His goal is to eradicate the darkness of the building by filling it with pure light. Starting with Luke, but adding to it with each new child who comes under him to study the force. 

He is not a fool, he knows the code was flawed and has to be fixed, but the system of the Jedi was much more morally align with his values compared to Anakin’s system. The stench of death is still potent in the air and he figures he’s lucky that with all their time in war, Luke and Leia don’t recognize it immediately. It shows their innocence, something that he’s relieved they’ve kept it with them all this time. 

He knows all too well what it’s like to lose your innocence and trust too early on, he’s happy he had at least helped preserve theirs.

"Do you think Uncle Rex would be proud of us?” Luke asks and Obi-Wan casts a look towards him, eyes filling with sadness. 

“Of course he would have been, Luke. You restored order to the galaxy. You accomplished everything he had given his life to achieve,” he says and hears Leia sniffle too, though the reassurance seems to be enough for her and she doesn’t chime in. 

They watch the Coruscanti sunset and although Obi-Wan has watched it a million times, it seems brand new in the haze of post-victory bliss. 

“Let’s get you guys into some beds for the night, okay? Your mom will be here when you wake up,” he assures and Leia scoffs lightly. 

“Okay, Obi, we’re nineteen not five,” but even at her retort, he could hear her relief. 

They had made it to a better tomorrow, they could rest for the night. 

 

 

The next day brings Padmé telling him he needs to brief the prisoners on their sentencing due to Republic law. He tries to argue that Old Republic rules shouldn’t apply, but the look he receives from Padmé at that has him walking down the stairs into the basement. 

The hallways are narrow and dark, they feel more claustrophobic the further in he goes, but he knows that the way he feels is the further suppression of his force abilities. They’re holding Anakin and Ahsoka after all, and these cells were specifically constructed to hold force users. 

When he had lived in the temple originally, he had never been down below the main levels and he can see why now. The air is suffocating and he feels a pressure in his skull that’s usually replaced with the warm embrace of the force. 

It feels almost cruel and unusual in terms of punishment. 

A fitting ending for two sentients who stole the free will of others, himself included. 

At the end of a long hallway, a single guard in front of it with blasters and tranquilizers that could take down a rancor, is a large durasteel door. It appears simple in design and Obi-Wan can’t claim to know the engineer behind force suppressing technology, but he knows he wouldn’t want to be behind that door. He doesn’t think he’d ever get out. 

_Hopefully, that means Anakin and Ahsoka wont get out either._

The guard moves aside, punching in a ten digit code to open the large door. Inside is a even more narrow hallway with six individual cells. They’ve been placed in the two on the end, so he makes his way down, peering through the plasma encasing. 

_“Obi-Wan?”_ Anakin asks, and the man has a sick hope in his eyes. As if he wants to believe Obi-Wan will break him out.

“Hello, Anakin,” he says and a dark part of himself is proud that in the end, he’s the one who gets the last laugh after all Anakin put him through. The sneer on his face must provide Anakin with all of the context he needs because the hope dies in his eyes and he sits back sulkily. 

“Ahsoka,” he adds as an after thought. 

“Have you come to gloat?” He asks and Obi-Wan smiles. He hears Ahsoka scoff in the cell next to them, watching intently. He salutes her mockingly. 

“No, I don’t think I _need_ to do that,” Anakin narrows his eyes, “I came to say goodbye.” At this, Anakin sits up straighter. He more than likely thought that Obi-Wan would visit at least. Maybe he would have if Anakin hadn’t forced him into a life he didn’t want so long ago. 

“Obi-Wan-“

“You were _everything_ to me, didn’t you know that? _I loved you!_ I would’ve gone to the end of the galaxy for you, but I couldn’t walk away from what’s right just because I wanted to climb in your bed. _That’s selfish._ You were _selfish_ , Anakin, and you hurt innocent people who had done _nothing_ to deserve it. You killed my family and my soul, so no, I won’t visit. You don’t deserve me in any way,” he takes a breath, needing to collect the rest of what he wants to say. He’s never coming back, so he needs to make sure he gets it all out. 

“You forced me to stay with you, to commit atrocities that I will never be able to cleanse from my soul. You killed people I loved and for so long, I let you kill me too. Well not anymore, not in a long time. Those kids? _Your kids?_ They’re better than you and they’re better than me and they will fix what you _fripped up._ Goodbye Anakin. The sad truth is… I loved you, but I couldn’t save you.” Anakin opens his mouth to respond, but he’s already turned to Ahsoka to give her the exact same treatment. 

“And _you?_ Well, I trusted you. You were the last olive branch in the galaxy for me when you fell to the dark side. You were the last person I had that I felt I could turn to following Order 66 and _we were happy!_ But of course, you fell to temptation, into the arms of your lost student. It’s okay, but your betrayal hurt all the more because of it,” he breathes. Just breathes and collects the rest of his thoughts.

“We were happy once. We were a _family_ and I don’t know why that wasn’t _good enough_ for you, but I’ve finally found a place with people who think that it is. _I’m enough for them._ Force, _you were supposed to be the adults!_ Instead, you took me and destroyed me beyond recognition.” It’s eerily silent as he fumbles with the chain around his neck. Both Anakin and Ahsoka are looking down in shame as he unclasps the pendant.

_He doesn’t need it anymore._

“You both taught me that love isn’t enough, but that’s _wrong_. Love is enough to defeat any darkness and so I’ve finally come to understand that everything that’s happened isn’t my fault, it’s _yours._ Have a nice life.” He backs up, looking down at the object in his hand one last time in silent goodbye.

“Oh, and one last thing,” he says, tossing Anakin the pendant he had kept with him for so long before spinning on his heal and walking away. The brief look he gets at Anakin’s shock is reward enough and its time for him to go home.

“Obi-Wan,” the fallen jedi, former emperor, and Obi-Wan’s lost love calls for him to return, _“Obi-Wan!”_ Obi-Wan keeps walking, allowing a smile to grow on his face. 

He had been a boy _defeated_ , had been a boy _trapped_ , and now he is a man _freed_. The galaxy is saved, the republic reforming, and his family-the one who had adopted him into their unit after his own was decimated-are alive and well. 

Obi-Wan walks away from Anakin and Ahsoka, a new man so different from the young fourteen year old who had met them on Christophsis. 

“Obi-Wan!” He hears Luke call from the level above in the Jedi Temple as they work to fix the building up so they can rebuild, his voice carrying through the long cavernous hallways. 

“Coming!” He calls.

He turns once more, looking back towards the cell he had literally left his past in and his smile is as wide as it can get. 

“Who’s stiff _now_ , Vader?” He snickers as everything comes into place. 

The angry yell he hears in response is worth it as he locks the large durasteel door, shutting them away forever. 

The guard slips back into place, sealing their fate. 

_Obi-Wan’s, Anakin’s, and Ahsoka’s._

 

 

When Padmé sits in their apartment with him sometime later, she lays a gentle hand on his.

“You loved him too, didn’t you?” And it’s the first time she’s asked. He turns to look at her, eyes wide and mouth open because _he_ had been _hers_. Obi-Wan had never meant to take Anakin from her and yet he had in an odd twist of fate. Her smile she gives him is small, but it isn’t sad. 

“You did, didn’t you? You loved him?” He chokes on the word that rises in his throat and he swallows it, he can't say it out loud. He had loved Anakin once, yes. Very much so, but now he can’t admit to it. He swallows the hate that follows the love and casts his eyes aside to look away from her. 

“If I didn’t love him, I wouldn’t be here now,” he answers and she has sparkles in her eyes as she wraps an arm around him.

“I don’t blame you for that my friend,” she says and its forgiveness, pure and honest and _everything_ Obi-Wan has needed. His soul feels redeemed in a way he hadn’t thought possible and he lays his head on the shoulder of the woman who has become like an older sister to him. 

“Where should we go next,” she wonders out loud before pausing, “That is, of course, if you’ll join us?” She asks and Obi-Wan smiles, nodding against her arm. 

“Luke and Leia should know Naboo,” he answers and she laughs, loud and bright, interrupting the peaceful sunset looking over the Coruscanti skyline. 

“That’s my boy.” And finally, Obi-Wan feels like he has found a home once again. 

 

 

**FREE SPACE, YEARS FOLLOWING THE FALL OF THE GALACTIC EMPIRE**

 

And as the years go on, as Luke and Leia grow, Obi-Wan continues to. He grows as a person and as a Jedi and eventually, though he may never admit it to anyone who asks, he manages to forgive Anakin and Ahsoka. 

Luke has taken over the Temple on Coruscant, allowing Obi-Wan to spend the rest of his life in the lake house on Varykino that Padmé had left him in her will when she died three years earlier. He had done his time as a Jedi, but that doesn’t stop Luke from sending the more difficult padawans to him for assistance. Leia is running for Chancellor of the New Republic on Coruscant and she too, often helps out in the training. She had married a man named Han Solo, a Captain in the Rebel Alliance and they had a son together about twenty-five years back who they named after him and even now, the thought brings the biggest smile to his face. 

From Christophsis to Naboo, he has been irrevocably changed and that, no matter how much he may have resented them for it, was partly due to _them._

“You loved him too, didn’t you?” Asks young Rey as she tugs on his robes and he offers a kind, elderly smile to her. The question is the same as Padmé asked him decades earlier, but he’s ready to face it now, after years of being asked by younglings he tells the warning tale of Anakin Skywalker to. 

_“Yes, Little One, I did.”_

 

 

He’s far too old to be doing this now, and the man is far older, having stayed in this cell for almost thirty years. Obi-Wan has lost track of time, he no longer knows how long it’s been since he landed on Christophsis and he no longer knows how long it’s been since he left him during Order 66. Obi-Wan’s lost track of time as he’s aged happily, surrounded by people who love him as he fixes the things that went so wrong during his own youth. 

He rounds the corner and walks down the dimly lit hallway. He dismisses the guard Luke has had posted here for who knows how long. The guard looks at him with wide eyes, as if Obi-Wan is the first person other than him who has been down there in forever. 

_Which, considering who is behind the cell door, is more than likely true._

He stands at the door, opening it slowly. 

The man on the other side is elderly, sporting blue eyes, sunken from the passing of time, and a grey beard. Despite the wrinkles and the way he slouches from years of solidarity and lack of movement, Obi-Wan sees the man he used to be, sees the man he _is._ The man’s eyes are wide as he takes in who exactly is there to see him and the force sings a song Obi-Wan had almost managed to forget.

_“Obi-Wan?”_ He gasps and Obi-Wan smiles. 

_“Hello, Anakin.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And thats all, folks! 
> 
> Thank you again for reading and if you have any emotions over the end of this the way I do, please come talk to me on tumblr; [intergalacticfuckup](https://intergalacticfuckup.tumblr.com)
> 
> as this story wraps up, I invite you guys to check out the others I am still updating including a modern au called Complication and an alpha/beta/omega sith au who's title is quite long.
> 
> S


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